Wellbeing

SLEEP AND YOUR MOOD

Despite what they may say, teenagers need sleep, in fact a good night sleep is like their mental health superpower.  Teens need around 8 to 10 hours sleep, although different people need slightly different amounts of sleep.  

A good night's sleep can: 

• give more energy 
• help manage difficult emotions 
• improve memory, attention and concentration 
• help deal with stressful situations

As parents, it’s part of our role to support our children form healthy habits around sleep.  Below are some ideas that may help improve your child’s sleep.  Your child will need your support with trying these, especially in reducing their use of screens around bedtime. 

Is your child struggling to sleep?  Here’s some things to try: 

• Turn off games, YouTube, social media and any notifications at least an hour before bed. Try a movie, book or watch TV instead (not in the bedroom though!)  
• No devices in bedrooms 
• Use the blue light filter on your phone and lower the brightness at night  
• Try a mindfulness exercise – check out Smiling Minds app for ideas 
• Try to sleep the same amount every night. An extra hour, every now and then, is fine – any more can confuse your body clock  
• Avoid caffeine at least six hours before bed
• Avoid napping during the day

If your child has tried these strategies and is still struggling to sleep and has consistently struggled to sleep over at least 2 weeks, it’s time to have a chat with your local doctor for further support. 

For more info: https://raisingchildren.net.au/teens/healthy-lifestyle/sleep/sleep-teens 

Is your teen not convinced they need sleep?  Here’s something for them to look at: HSP225-Sleep-Fact-Sheet-DP3.pdf (headspace.org.au)