Follow these tips and you could help your teenager sleep better.
- Talk to your child about anything they're worried about. This will help them to put their problems into perspective.
- Emphasise to them the importance of sleep. It has proven advantages for memory and performance. A minimum of eight to nine hours’ good sleep on school nights is recommended.
- Encourage them to do regular exercise for at least 60 minutes every day, including a variety of activities. See the section on Health and fitness for more information.
- Suggest that they drink less caffeine (contained in drinks such as cola as well as tea and coffee). It interferes with the process of falling asleep and prevents deep sleep.
- Let them know that eating too much or too little close to bedtime may prevent sleep due to an overfull or empty stomach. This can be a cause of discomfort throughout the night.
- Encourage your teenager to have a bedtime routine. Doing the same things in the same order before going to sleep can help them sleep.
- Ensure they have a good sleeping environment, ideally a room that is dark, cool, quiet, safe and comfortable.
- Don't have a TV in the bedroom. A music system is preferable as the light from a TV or computer screen causes the most problems.
- Ensure they have a comfortable bed or mattress. If it's time to get a new one, encourage them to choose it.
- Remember, habits learned in adolescence often become lifetime habits, so make sure good sleep habits are learned early.
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