Adolescent Sleep Tips: How Much Do Teens Really Need?
By Laura Nicklaus, Laura Sabourin
Adolescent Sleep - How Much Sleep Do Teens Need?
The recommended amount of sleep for adolescents is 8-10 hours per night. Few adolescents actually achieve this goal, however, and teens are the most sleep-deprived developmental group. This is due, in part, to delayed circadian rhythms that occur during adolescence causing teens to naturally get tired and fall asleep later. Whereas most teens want and need to then sleep later in the morning, early school start times do not allow for that. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended delaying school start times to match adolescents’ natural tendency for delayed sleep timing, but such policy changes have been largely unsuccessful.
Sleep deprivation in teens is associated with a host of negative health consequences including:
mood issues (e.g., depression, irritability, difficulty controlling emotions, low frustration tolerance)
academic issues (e.g., thinking, attention and memory problems, distractibility, slower reaction time
falling asleep in class, late/absent from school)
behavioral issues (e.g., more prone to risk-taking behaviors, substance use, falling asleep while driving).
Sleep is therefore a priority for healthy adolescent development and overall family functioning. The start of a new school year can be particularly challenging as teens transition from a more laid-back summer sleep schedule. Start helping your teen consider a healthy sleep routine before school starts.
Best Sleep Hygiene Tips For Teens:
Our nurses at REACH meet regularly with teens to discuss sleep hygiene and offer the following advice:
Limit caffeine consumption, especially in afternoon hours (includes coffee, tea, energy drinks)
Get physical activity during the day (but not right before bed)
Avoid naps during the day, even if you’re tired. If you must nap, make sure to keep it to 30 minutes or less.
Set up a consistent sleep routine. This should be something relaxing.
Use an alarm clock to awaken.
Avoid a difference of over 2 hours bed and wake time on weekends.
Keep the bedroom, dark, quiet and cool at nighttime.
Use the bed only for sleep.
Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other stimulants prior to bedtime.
Avoid behaviors that require a higher level of concentration immediately before bed, including exciting or emotionally disturbing activities.
Avoid using the computer and watching television an hour before bedtime.
Start getting ready for bed about an hour before bedtime
White noise/sound machines can help teens fall asleep.
Some teens enjoy room diffusers with lavender oil.
Consider listening to a guided meditation, practice breathing exercises, or do progressive muscle relaxation. There are several free options on Youtube and Spotify.
Consider investing in a sleep app such as Sleep Cycle, Head Space, or Better Sleep.
A sleep diary can be helpful in setting up a useful sleep routine.
It is important to empower teens to create their own sleep routine to avoid conflict between parents and teens. Parents can’t force teens to sleep. They can, however, set up limits and expectations that helps reinforce healthy sleep hygiene.
How Parents Can Help Their Teens Sleep:
Set limits around electronics in bedrooms and model those limits (e.g., cell phones are charged in a common area and are off at a certain time).
Model healthy sleep schedules (e.g., not watching TV, staying off screen before bed, maintaining a consistent bedtime).
Set quiet hours when teens are expected to be in their room without electronics.
Communicate about schedules and needs for the night (e.g., homework, extracurricular activities, social activities).
Compromise with your teen about routines and expectations and allow them to take increasing responsibility over their sleep routine.
Keep in mind that the overall goal is setting teens up for success later in life and helping them regulate their choices independently over time. If your teen is experiencing a decreased need for sleep or is still struggling to sleep despite making changes to sleep hygiene, it might be time to consult your pediatrician or a therapist.
Additional Resources:
Get Mental Health Care
We’d love to connect you or someone you know with mental health care. To refer a child/teen/adolescent or yourself, please call (877) 992-2422 or click here to make a referral. Bradley REACH’s expert teams of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and nurses provide intensive mental health care and therapy to teams and families, virtually, in New England, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Florida.
DISCLAIMER:
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
If you or your child are in crisis or experiencing mental health problems please seek the advice of a licensed clinician or call 988 or Kids Link in Rhode Island.
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