Everything seems better when we've had enough sleep; our mood is more stable, our response times are faster, we can control our impulses more easily, and perform tasks more effectively. For teenagers, who are growing rapidly and whose brains are going through a massive rewiring, that need for sleep is arguably even greater. But how many of us are certain that our teens are getting enough sleep?
Can we be sure that their moodiness, lack of attention, impulsiveness or poor grades are really a result of teenage hormones? Could they be caused by a chronic sleep deficit? In this episode we look at how much sleep our teens should be getting, how we can support them in reaching that goal, and the one tip for helping them to shift their sleep window.
ONLINE RESOURCES FOR PARENTS:
https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/information-support/adults/adult-sleep-ebook/
https://teensleephub.org.uk/teens-young-people/
RESEARCH REFERENCES:
Sleep in adolescents and young adults
Ellen S Bruce (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Bruce%20ES%5BAuthor%5D) , consultant rheumatologist,A Laura Lunt (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Lunt%20L%5BAuthor%5D) , adolescent and young adult rheumatology research assistant,B and Janet E McDonagh (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=McDonagh%20JE%5BAuthor%5D) , consultant in paediatric and adolescent rheumatologyC https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6301929/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6143346/
https://neurosciencenews.com/chronotype-shifts-23279/
https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/understanding-your-sleep-new-free-ebook-as-part-of-our-letstalksleep-campaign/
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/teens-and-sleep
https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20220914/lack-of-sleep-teens-may-lead-to-obesity
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6301929/
Mindell JA & Owens JA (2003). A Clinical Guide to Pediatric Sleep: Diagnosis and Management of Sleep Problems. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
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