Sleep is your superpower!

Getting enough sleep is important for keeping our bodies and minds healthy. This is crucial for adolescents. Sleep is a really important part of all the changes taking place in the body and,especailly, the amazing teenage brain…

Most of us don’t get enough sleep…

So, are a few top tips for a good sleeping environment. An ideal place to sleep is quiet, dark, clutter free and cool

  • Quiet - if there is noise you can’t control - traffic, noisy neighbours etc. - try playing some relaxing music (lots available to download) or white noise (again can be downloaded).
  • Dark - especially free from the blue light of screens.
  • Clutter free - Clutter is a bit like visual noise and be just as distracting as you try and get off to sleep... time to clear up some of those mugs / piles of clothes etc.?

Check out Teen Sleep Hub for more tips for getting a good night's sleep, including a You and Your Sleep: a downloadable sleep guide.

What's your sleep like?

Sleep is often a tricky subject for young people but it is incredibly important and it is all to do with what's happening in your brain... 

Sleep Wars!

If there is one thing guaranteed to cause arguments at home it's teenagers staying up late and sleeping in in the mornings...

But it not really your fault... it's your brain!  

The teenage brain is going through some huge changes and sleep is a seriously important part of the process - so you need to get plenty of sleep

Teenagers need about 8 - 10 hours a night but just when it would be a good idea to have settled sleep patterns they are getting totally mucked about by puberty and hormones and stuff!! (apologies to proper scientists but 'stuff' is a really useful word...)

When you sleep you might think everything is resting. That's true for your body but your brain continues to be active. During puberty and the teenage years your brain is changing big time... it's having a clear out of stuff (like some memories you don't need), making different connections and storing new stuff... this takes up an incredible amount of energy and it has a lot more to do so,  you need more sleep. 

Obvious answer - go to bed earlier! But...

...all the hormones knocking about make your body clock go a bit weird and so you often don't feel sleepy or ready for sleep at a sensible time, so you end up going to bed late and sleeping late in the mornings (if you're allowed but you have to get up to go school and so you don't get enough sleep! 

And, not getting enough sleep can affect

  • your health 
  • your mood / emotions (more about brain chemicals)
  • your energy levels
  • your coordination;
  • your ability to focus;
  • your memory and ability to learn (just at the time when schools start wanting to you learn / remember heaps of things and do exams!) 

Not sleeping well?

Good sleep is really important. It can help you cope with stress and feel better. But when you’re not sleeping well, it can make everything more difficult.

If you’re struggling to get to sleep, you’re not alone. And we’ve got some tips to help:

  1. Make a bedtime routine
    Go to bed at the same time each night, and spend 30 minutes doing something that helps you relax before getting into bed
  2. Cut down on drinking caffeine
    Tea, coffee and energy drinks can have a big impact on your sleep. Try cutting down on them, especially in the afternoon and evening
  3. Decorate your room
    Fill your bedroom with things that relax you, and try to take away anything that makes you stressed, makes noise or that might keep you awake
  4. Write down your thoughts
    If something’s on your mind, try writing it down or using a mood journal. Writing can help to clear your mind and make it easier to sleep.
  5. Get up if you can’t sleep
    If you’re in bed and can’t get to sleep, then get up and do something relaxing for 15 minutes. But avoid working or looking at bright screens