Doctors say teens should sleep 8 to 10 hours every night. The US National Sleep Foundation found that only 15% of them rest around eight and a half hours during their school term. Among the negative effects of sleep deprivation in this age group are feelings of depression, chronic headaches and difficulty concentrating during class. For these reasons, adolescents need to develop and maintain healthy sleep habits during middle and high school.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Preventing Sleep Deprivation in Teens
Step 1. Clean the room
You sleep better when the environment is clean and pleasant. Some studies have found that bedrooms decorated with flowers have a positive impact on mood upon awakening. The environment should be cool and calm.
Step 2. Set up a bedtime ritual
Taking into account how hectic teen lives can be, it is necessary to create a ritual for sleep, to ensure a good restful sleep. Consider these factors when planning your "bedtime ritual":
- Reduce the intensity of all the lights. This reminds the body that it is night and triggers natural circadian rhythms to help you sleep. Wear sunglasses during the afternoon and evening to reduce exposure to bright light.
- Eat a snack. If you go to bed hungry you can't sleep; however, overeating the digestive process keeps you awake. Get a glass of milk or some toast; make sure you don't feel hungry, but don't eat until full.
- Dress according to the season. If it's winter, put on warm clothing; if it is summer, limit yourself to a cotton t-shirt and shorts; do not dress in layers, as you may impede movement and risk waking up to take off some clothes.
- Keep the room cool. It is better that it tends to be cold rather than too hot, as this helps to trigger the cooling cycle that the body respects during normal sleep.
- Don't eat refined sugars before bed Processed sugars cause your blood sugar to spike, followed by a crash, which can wake you up in the middle of the night.
- Avoid physical activity in the last two hours before bedtime, otherwise you increase your heart rate and metabolism, inhibiting sleepiness.
Step 3. Choose a time to go to bed and a time to wake up
This depends on when you start your active day.
- Aim to sleep at least eight hours but no more than ten, as you may interrupt sleep phases and feel groggy.
- Keep the same schedule over the weekend, so it's easier to stick to it even on school days.
Step 4. Set an alarm
Once you have established a regular sleep pattern, you should no longer need an alarm clock; however, in the beginning it is best to be sure to get up on time.
If you have a very deep sleep, you can set multiple alarms or get a very noisy one; otherwise, a simple alarm clock or mobile phone application is sufficient
Step 5. Sleep on your right side
Some research has shown that this pose increases positive dreams by reducing mood swings during the next day.
Purchase a body pillow to put on your left side to help you maintain posture on your right side
Step 6. Wake up well
How and when to start the day is the first step in ensuring a healthy sleep pattern and promoting regular circadian rhythms.
- Do not use the snooze function of the alarm. When the body wakes up, goes back to sleep and wakes up again after a few minutes, a dissonance (called "sleep inertia") is triggered which leads to an increased sense of lightheadedness and which can last up to two hours after getting up. To avoid being tempted by the snooze button, set the alarm on the other side of the room so that you have to get out of bed to turn it off.
- Open the curtains. The light of the morning hours ranging from 6 to 10 inhibits the release of melatonin (the sleep hormone) and has an antidepressant effect; it also helps to maintain the natural circadian rhythms, favoring the waking state.
- Take a hot shower. By raising the body temperature, you increase blood circulation and you can feel more awake; However, if you continue to feel sleepy, end your shower with a cold water rinse.
- You have breakfast. Remember that the body hasn't eaten for eight or ten hours. Breakfast increases alertness and prevents mid-day sleepiness, which in turn could alter your sleep at night.
Part 2 of 4: Avoiding Bad Sleep Habits
Step 1. Turn off your electronic devices
The light emitted by these devices, such as cell phones, computers and televisions, increases alertness and prevents sleep. Let your brain relax by turning them off at least an hour before bedtime. Try your best to keep all light-emitting devices out of the room.
Step 2. Don't sleep with the light on
Put curtains on the windows to block out the outside lights or wear an eye mask. If there is mild or moderate light when sleeping or dreaming, you wake up feeling less rested and more depressed than normal.
Step 3. Maintain a quiet environment
Turn off the music before going to bed if there are other noises keeping you awake, consider wearing earplugs.
Step 4. Remember that the bed is made for sleeping
Avoid reading, studying, writing or drawing while under the sheets, otherwise you will stay awake and associate this place with other activities.
Step 5. Don't take long daytime naps
If you still feel tired while sleeping all the recommended hours, take a 15-30 minute nap. It is important, however, not to overdo it, otherwise you increase the sense of fatigue and fail to respect the time to go to bed in the evening.
Step 6. Avoid caffeine
This substance can prevent you from sleeping even in small doses, especially if you take it in the afternoon. If you find that it has a negative impact on your sleep habits, reduce your consumption or only drink decaffeinated drinks.
Part 3 of 4: Resolve Sleeping Difficulties
Step 1. Visualize a relaxing place
Imagine a pleasant and restful place; it could be a museum, park, or hiking trail. Start walking in this environment, mentally describing the details of the place, paying attention to colors, lights, shadows, down to the smallest characteristics of the surrounding environment. Remember what the senses perceive during the walk. This technique distracts the conscious mind from the present and allows you to relax, promoting sleep.
Step 2. Try progressive muscle relaxation
This practice relieves tension and calms thoughts. Start at the toes and work your way up to the ankles, thighs, buttocks, abdomen, shoulders, neck and face, contracting the different muscle groups one at a time for a count of 30. After each session, relax your body to another 30 seconds.
Step 3. Practice respiratory biofeedback
It is a type of therapy for those suffering from insomnia, which teaches how to overcome the body's anxious response and replace it with voluntary and relaxing activities.
- Lie on your back and close your eyes;
- Form an inverted triangle with your hands, making sure that the index fingers and thumbs touch each other, resting it on the abdomen, under the rib cage;
- Take slow, deep breaths, counting to 10;
- Hold your breath for another count to 10;
- Exhale for 10 seconds and repeat the whole sequence, concentrating on breathing; try to be constant and slow as much as possible. During this activity the body relaxes and it becomes easier to fall asleep.
Part 4 of 4: Understanding the Effects of Sleep Deprivation in Adolescents
Step 1. Know what sleep disorders affect teens
Biological changes in this age group can lead to the following problems:
- Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea: caused by diseases or allergies that swell the adenoids and tonsils;
- GERD: gastroesophageal reflux;
- Restless Legs Syndrome: A disorder that affects mobility, causing involuntary movements and preventing the phase of REM sleep;
- Parasomnia: the most common are insomnia, somnambulism (sleep walking) and nightmares;
- Enuresis (urinating in bed): symptomatic of other developmental delays, creates anxiety and prevents the child from sleeping;
- Delayed sleep phase syndrome - a delay in biorhythms; this means that although a boy or a teenager goes to bed, he still cannot sleep.
- During the adolescent stage, the body's circadian rhythm (a form of "internal clock") is reset; this clock tells the body to go to bed later in the evening and get up later in the morning. This change in the circadian rhythm appears to be due to melatonin, a hormone in the brain that is produced later in the night in adolescents, unlike younger children and adults. Therefore, teenagers really have a harder time falling asleep and nothing can be done to change this state of affairs.
Step 2. Know the symptoms of sleep deprivation
In addition to feeling lightheaded and having difficulty getting up, sleep deprivation also causes physical and mental effects, including:
- Reduced memory and learning capacity;
- Limited mental health;
- Worst school results;
- Shorter attention spans;
- Impaired motor skills;
- Increased acne episodes;
- Slowed metabolism and obesity.
Step 3. Know the long-term effects
Not getting enough sleep greatly affects neurocognitive functions, especially when this deficiency lasts for a long time, particularly in adolescents and the young population. The human brain develops the faculties associated with logical and systematic thinking between the ages of 12 and 18. These skills are not only applied to perform schoolwork; problem solving is a universal cognitive skill that affects all aspects of life. Teens also need to develop and maintain healthy sleep habits to ensure they reach their full potential in adulthood.
Step 4. Know how to get help
If you are a teenager and have difficulty getting enough sleep, be aware that there are resources available that can help you.
- Talk to your parents. They can help you with the steps outlined in this article and offer you all the support you need.
- Talk to your doctor. You may be a good candidate to undergo studies to determine the presence of some sleep disorder.
- Find resources online. You can find many sites that address teens' insomnia problems, as well as a list of professionals who specialize in this area working in your area. Check that they are authoritative and trustworthy sites, based on scientific sources and that offer information on how to manage this problem that plagues many teenagers.
Advice
- Do not have dinner in the last three hours before going to bed, otherwise you promote insomnia.
- Do not use electronic devices an hour before bed, if possible.
- Choose your clothes and prepare your bag for the next day in time, so you can go to sleep relaxed.
