When it comes to teens getting enough sleep, numerous forces are working against them.
Early school start times are wreaking havoc on their circadian rhythms.
An overload of after-school activities is turning bedtime into gotta-start-on-homework time.
And so they slog through their days, cranky and short-fused and barely able to respond to basic questions.
As parents, you wonder if theres anything you’re able to do to help.
it’s possible for you to and you must.
Teenagers need sleepmore of it than they probably think.
Teens ages 14 to 17 need eight to ten hours.
And young adults from 18 to 25 should aim for seven to nine hours.
Yet very few are getting it.
That means the rest are sleep-deprivedmany severely so.
One study showed that 59% of teenagers getfewer than six hoursof sleep on school nights.
The effects of this go beyond dozing off in fifth-period trigonometry.
It can also make them moreprone to getting zits.
Heres what you’ve got the option to do instead.
Once you reach 30 or so, you realize sleep is glorious!
One of lifes greatest pleasures!
It is important to approach the subject in such a way as to validate their knowledge of themselves.
You could say something like, You may be right.
You may be one of those kids who needs less sleep than most people.
Lets see if thats the case.
I want to support you in making good decisions for yourself.
Also, know that its hard for teens to go to bed at an hour that youd consider reasonable.
They are simply not sleepy.
Strixrud and Johnson note that teens often respond best when advice comes from a third, non-parental party.
Maybe you have a trusted pediatrician or counselor who can share some insight.
Encourage a lifestyle that allows for family time, down time, exercise and sleep.
Routines like regular family meals and rules around technology have been shown to benefit teens behaviorally and academically.
And do this on weekends, too.
Encourage them to set up a homework schedule in which they do everything that requires a screen first.
All non-screen projects can be done after that.
Its also important to take a critical look at your teens schedule.
The dock should be placed outside of the bedrooms.
A non-phone alarm clock:Alarms with wake-up lightsthat simulate a sunrise are Lifehacker favorites.
Blue-blocker glasses:Have your teen wear them any time they are using screens in the evenings.
Wermter likes the light-blocking glasses bySwanwick Sleep.
Lobby for Later School Start Times
This might be the most important task of all.
The kids reported feeling less tired and more alert during class.
But there are real health risks that come with teenage sleep deprivation.
This is something we simply cant sleep on.
