10
&
August 2015 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
Teenagers and Sleep
There are reasons for their sleep deprivation
By Regina Walker, LCSW,
BCD, CASAC
It is high noon on a Saturday and
you are trying to rouse your 16-yearold from sleep. What is happening to
the sleep cycle of your adolescent?
Studies have shown adolescents
require more sleep than adults –
approximately 9 to 9 1/2 hours a
night. But rarely do teenagers actually
get that much sleep on a regular basis.
There are reasons teenagers are often
chronically sleep deprived.
Following puberty, a biological shift
occurs in the adolescent’s internal
clock. This shift is estimated to be
about two hours. So a teenager who
prior to puberty might fall asleep at 9
p.m. will find it difficult to fall asleep
before 11 p.m. To adjust for that shift,
the teenager would need to sleep two
additional hours in the morning.
Sleep deprivation comes in when
that cycle of sleep is disrupted by
schedules and obligations. Early
school times require the adolescent to
wake up much earlier than she would
if she were able to respond to her
internal shift in sleep patterns.
Additionally, social and educational
responsibilities such as homework,
afterschool activities and socializing
with friends result in later bedtimes.
Thus the sleep deprivation cycle is
reinforced.
Sleep deprivation can have a
number of negative consequences,
including problems with mood and
diminished cognitive ability, which
can result in poor school performance.
Some studies suggest chronically
sleep-deprived adolescents are more
likely to engage in risk-taking behavior, including alcohol and substance
misuse and driving faster and more
carelessly. Additionally, compared to
any other group, teenagers are more
likely to fall asleep at the wheel.
What are some ways to deal with
this issue?
Committing to a sleep schedule
can be difficult at first, but it proves
effective over time. Going to bed and
waking at the same time daily retrains
the body. The body will adapt and
falling asleep will become easier.
Short daily naps (approximately
20 minutes) can also be helpful.
Timed correctly (right after school,
for example), they can improve mood
and cognitive ability.
It is also important (though terribly difficult for a teenager) to avoid
oversleeping
on weekends.
It may
seem
Like us
@healthykentucky
wise to “catch up” on a sleep deficit,
but this practice just makes it harder
to adhere to the regular sleep schedule, which is the most beneficial.
Finally, just as with adults, avoiding
caffeine, video games and other stimulating activities in the evening will
make falling asleep a whole lot easier
for your teenager.
About the Author
Regina Walker’s first book, “Through
My Eyes” is available from Amazon:
http://amzn.com/0692449000