Is your teen getting enough sleep? They are at an age when they need to have the right amount of sleep to cope with their busy lives.

Teenagers have a lot going on with school, home and life balance and some teens have jobs to manage too. That’s why getting the right amount of sleep is so important as it gives them the tools to get on well in life, but the bad news is a lot of teenagers are sleep deprived.

In general, it is recommended that teenagers get at least 9 hours of sleep at night which as we know is hard for them to achieve. Here are some tips on getting your teenager to sleep at night:

  1. Relaxing bedrooms.

    For your teenager to get to sleep at night, it is best that they have a bedroom that is relaxing. For teenagers who study in their bedrooms, they need to know how to switch off and relax in their bedroom. Changing the lighting can help with this.
    For example, a bright light for when they are busy with schoolwork is effective but once the night comes and they want to relax, use a salt lamp or a low light to add to the ambience of sleep. Scents can help too, such as candles and potpourri or essential oils. Finally, get your teen to keep their bedroom tidy so they can relax in it without feeling overwhelmed with mess and untidiness. 

  2. Turn off the media.

    Teenagers love technology but there comes a time when they need to turn it off and for school nights (especially for exam students), have a media ‘turn-off’ time as agreed. They may not like it, but it is the best thing you can do for your teen as everything media-related encourages repeated use and they’ll keep watching or engaging with different forms of media as it is made to encourage people to do so.

  3. Have a half-hour of quiet time and chill out.

    Before bedtime or lights out (or media switch-off time) encourage your teen to take half an hour to relax, whether this is by having a bath, reading or listening to some mindful music. Some teenagers have funny ways to relax like listening to loud music or going for a run but let them decide if it does what it is meant to.
    Remember exercise is key too so if your teen is doing some exercise to relax that is perfectly fine. Reading is a good way to relax, though lots of teenagers would prefer to use online media instead of reading a normal book but try and encourage them to read even if it is just magazines or comic book. 

  4. Replace caffeine drinks with warming milky drinks.

    Those cups of coffee add up and if your teenager is a caffeine fan perhaps make it a rule that there is no coffee after dinner time. A cup of tea may not be as bad and remember some fizzy drinks have caffeine in them so cut them out of your teenagers’ diet too.
    Encourage your teen to drink warm milk, hot chocolate or herbal teas instead of caffeine high hot drinks so they can go to bed relaxed with a warm drink in the winter months. 

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