A
Teens and Sleep BY THE CHILDREN’S COALITION FOR NORTHEAST LOUISIANA
ccording to the National Sleep Foundation, teens require 8-10 hours of sleep a night to stay healthy. Biological sleep patterns shift toward later times for both sleeping and waking during adolescence. This means that it is natural for teens to not be able to fall asleep before 11:00 p.m. Teens also tend to have irregular sleep patterns across the week — they typically stay up late and sleep in late on the weekends, but this can affect their biological clocks and hurt the quality of their sleep. Research shows that lack of sleep affects mood, and a depressed mood can lead to lack of sleep. To combat this vicious cycle, sleep experts recommend that teens prioritize sleep and focus on healthy sleep habits.
Dr. Barry Ricks has practiced pediatrics in Monroe La for over 20 years. He regularly sees patients from birth to 21 years of age. His office, Pediatric Associates, is located at 2600 Tower Dr. in Monroe.
190 DECEMBER 2018 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM
What is the most important thing parents and youth need to know about sleep? Teens and their parents need to recognize that sleeping the recommended amount of hours is linked with positive outcomes such as improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life and overall mental and physical health. Regularly not getting enough sleep leads to chronic sleep deprivation. This can have dramatic effects on a teenager’s life, impacting their mental wellbeing, increasing their risk of depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. It can also affect academic performance at school. Why is important for parents to talk to their children about getting enough sleep? Most teens do not get enough sleep — one study found that only 15% reported sleeping 8 1/2 hours or more on school nights. Parents play a vital role in helping teens get the sleep that they need. You should pay close attention to how your son or daughter sleeps, acts and feels. They will give you signs that show they are not getting enough sleep. If you child has trouble waking up most mornings, acts irritable in early afternoon, falls asleep during the day or sleeps for very long periods on the weekends, they may need their sleep cycle adjusted.
What are some of the short and long-term outcomes of irregular sleep or lack of sleep? Teens who do not sleep for a sufficient amount of time may be at greater risk for attention, behavior and learning problems. A sleep deficit is also linked with increased risk of accidents and injuries, as well as with self-harm and suicide attempts. When a you are sleep deprived, you are as impaired as driving with a blood alcohol content of .08%, which is illegal for drivers in many states. Drowsy driving causes over 100,000 crashes each year. Sleeping too much can also be a problem. Studies show that routinely sleeping longer than the recommended times can lead to adverse outcomes such as hypertension, obesity and mental health problems.
Teens need 8-10 hours of sleep a night—less than 15% of teens get more than 8 ½ hours of sleep on a school night. If my child has poor sleep habits, what is the best way to reset? Parents should make sure children have a comfortable sleep environment, that is quiet and free of distractions. Children should not try to sleep watching TV, looking at a computer or phone or anything else that produces ambient light that disrupts the natural sleep cycle. They should not have anything with caffeine (including soda and chocolate) after 4:00 p.m. They may need to wake up later on weekends.