Sleep has become the thing that’s frequently missing in young peoples’ lives! Few people these days get the hours of sleep optimal for their age, but experts agree that teenagers are more likely to fall short than anyone else.
Researchers recommend that adolescents need between 9 and 9 ½ hours of sleep, but studies show that most teens don’t get enough shut eye. Only 6% of children in S5, and 3% S6 get the recommended amount of sleep. Two in three teens are severely sleep-deprived, losing two or more hours of sleep every night.
The impact of sleep deprivation on the well-being of adolescents — on their health and academic potential has been huge. Studies show that young people who don’t get enough sleep often suffer physical and mental health problems as well as a decline in academic performance.
So how can you improve your sleep patterns? Here are 10 effective tips to help you sleep better:
- Make your bedroom a quiet place
Make sure you turn off all devices before you get in bed. Contrary to what you might think, music won’t help you get quality sleep. If your house is loud at night you could try ear plugs. You can make your own with cotton wool and Vaseline or toilet paper (just don’t push them in too far!).
- Keep your room cool
Try to keep your room cool. A study found that sleep occurs faster when the body cools down. It’s common for us to wake up when the room gets hotter.
- Keep your room dark
Try to keep the door shut when they go to bed. Turn your clock to face the wall so you don’t make it a habit to check the time while you’re in bed. A sleep mask might help block light.
- Get in the habit of bringing light in when you wake
Open the curtains or turn on the lights when you wake up. The early light of the day helps “reset” your brain.
- “Chill out” before bedtime
If you are frequently stressed out, yoga or meditation can help ease racing thoughts. Going to bed worried decreases the quality of your sleep, so relaxation techniques could help.
- If you’re sick, go to bed
Make sure to be in bed early when you’re ill. Not only is it the fastest way to recover, but you’ll feel more refreshed the next day.
- Try a high-carb snack if you have trouble falling asleep
Dietitians recommend that eating high-carb snacks before bed does the trick. These snacks make you warm and sleepy. Consider trying these snacks out: crackers, cereal, fresh fruit, dried fruit, fruit juice, popcorn, or toast.
- How about a night scent?
Aromatherapy can boost sleep. Orange blossom, marjoram, chamomile, and lavender scents are some examples of soothing smells for bedtime. Essential oils are great for this. If you use a candle, make sure to blow it out before you get into bed!
- No caffeine for couple of hours before bedtime
This one might seem like a no-brainer, but sometimes we forget that caffeine can be hidden in some of our favourite drinks and snacks. Make sure to get into the habit of monitoring caffeine intake throughout the day. If you’re craving something hot to drink, try herbal tea or hot chocolate instead of coffee or tea. Or try decaf!
- Are there other issues that keep you up at night?
If you tried almost everything on this list and still can’t seem to develop a healthy sleep habit, then it’s worth exploring if there might be and underlying cause. Some medications might affect sleep so it’s worth checking in with a doctor.
Hopefully some of these tips might help, especially once we get back to school. Try to get in the habit of a bedtime routine to wind down at the end of each day.
Happy snoozing!
