Teens Lack Sleep Routine During the Pandemic

Teenagers are not known for their healthy sleep schedules. But a global pandemic has heightened stress levels, altered learning environments, and challenged teenagers on a social level, as well. These factors combine to make for unhealthy sleep schedules that could leave your teen awake until the early morning hours and asleep until the afternoon. Not only does this irregular sleep schedule throw off their daily routine, it can have an effect on their overall health.

Experts generally agree that teenagers need around 9 hours of sleep each night to function optimally. However, melatonin, a hormone released by the body to help you fall asleep, isn’t released in teenaged bodies until later in the night. This makes it harder for teens to fall asleep at an earlier hour. With demanding schedules full of classes, after-school programs, sports, music lessons, and homework, teenagers could be up until very late at night getting everything done. Even if a teenager has the chance to get in bed early, their brains may not let them fall asleep for a couple of hours.

When your teenager doesn’t get the recommended amount of sleep each night, this can throw off their routines and even jeopardize their health. Sleep deprivation has been linked to a weakened immune system and higher levels of stress, which could lead to conditions such as depression and heart disease.

Support a Healthy Sleep Routine

During the coronavirus pandemic, it is more important than ever to support your immune system any way you can, including eating healthy foods and getting plenty of sleep.

Experts recommend the following tips to help your teenager get a healthy amount of sleep:

• Do not bring electronics such as phones and laptops into bed at night.
• Get plenty of natural light during the day to reset your circadian rhythm.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks in the afternoon and evening.
• Limit daytime naps to 20 minutes.
• Read a book, drink warm tea, or take a warm shower before bed.

Get a Better Night’s Sleep With Silent Night Therapy

Teenagers need a lot of healthy sleep each night to wake up ready for the next day, and so do adults. If you’re having trouble getting restful sleep and are waking up exhausted, then you might have a sleep disorder. The sleep specialists at Silent Night Therapy can diagnose your problems and find reliable sleep solutions. Call our office today at (631) 983-2463 or schedule your free consultation online.