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continued:
Teen sleep: Why is your teen so tired?
Playing catch-up
Catching up on sleep during the weekends seems like a logical solution to teen sleep problems, but it doesn't help much. In fact, sleeping in can confuse your teen's internal clock even more. A forced early bedtime may backfire, too. If your teen goes to bed too early, he or she may only lie awake for hours.
Resetting the clock
So what can you do? Don't assume that your teen is at the mercy of his or her internal clock. Take action tonight!
- Adjust the lighting. As bedtime approaches, dim the lights. Turn the lights off during sleep. In the morning, expose your teen to bright light. These simple cues can help signal when it's time to sleep and when it's time to wake up.
- Stick to a schedule. Tough as it may be, encourage your teen to go to bed and get up at the same time every day — even on weekends. Prioritize extracurricular activities and curb late-night social time as needed. If your teen has a job, limit working hours to no more than 16 to 20 hours a week.
- Nix long naps. If your teen is drowsy during the day, a 30-minute nap after school may be refreshing. But too much daytime shut-eye may only make it harder to fall asleep at night.
- Curb the caffeine. A jolt of caffeine may help your teen stay awake during class, but the effects are fleeting. And too much caffeine can interfere with a good night's sleep.
- Keep it calm. Encourage your teen to wind down at night with a warm shower, a book or other relaxing activities — and avoid vigorous exercise, loud music, video games, text messaging, Web surfing and other stimulating activities shortly before bedtime. Take the TV out of your teen's room, or keep it off at night. The same goes for your teen's cell phone and computer.
Sleeping pills and other medications generally aren't recommended for teens.
Is it something else?
In some cases, excessive daytime sleepiness can be a sign of something more than a problem with your teen's internal clock. Other problems can include:
- Medication side effects. Many medications — including over-the-counter cold and allergy medications and prescription medications to treat depression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder — can affect sleep.
- Insomnia or biological clock disturbance. If your teen has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, he or she is likely to struggle with daytime sleepiness.
- Depression. Sleeping too much or too little is a common sign of depression.
- Obstructive sleep apnea. When throat muscles fall slack during sleep, they stop air from moving freely through the nose and windpipe. This can interfere with breathing and disrupt sleep.
- Restless legs syndrome. This condition causes a "creepy" sensation in the legs and an irresistible urge to move the legs, usually shortly after going to bed. The discomfort and movement can interrupt sleep.
- Narcolepsy. Sudden daytime sleep, usually for only short periods of time, can be a sign of narcolepsy. Narcoleptic episodes can occur at any time — even in the middle of a conversation. Sudden attacks of muscle weakness in response to emotions such as laughter, anger or surprise are possible, too.
If you're concerned about your teen's daytime sleepiness or sleep habits, contact your teen's doctor. If your teen is depressed or has a sleep disorder, proper treatment may be the key to a good night's sleep.
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- Teens and sleep. National Sleep Foundation. Accessed May 6, 2009.
- Sleep drive and your body clock. National Sleep Foundation. Accessed May 6, 2009.
- Moore M, et al. The sleepy adolescent: Causes and consequences of sleepiness in teens. Paediatric Respiratory Reviews. 2008;9:114.
- Millman R. Excessive sleepiness in adolescents and young adults: Causes, consequences, and treatment strategies. Pediatrics. 2005;115:1774.
- Bonin L. Depression in adolescents: Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 6, 2009.
- Noland H, et al. Adolescents' sleep behaviors and perceptions of sleep. Journal of School Health. 2009;79:224.
- Roberts RE, et al. Sleepless in adolescence: Prospective data on sleep deprivation, health and functioning. Journal of Adolescence. 2009;In press. Accessed May 6, 2009.
- Kotagal S (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 8, 2009.
- Calamaro CJ, et al. Adolescents living the 24/7 lifestyle: Effects of caffeine and technology on sleep duration and daytime functioning. Pediatrics. 2009;123:e1005.
