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| Is Your Child Sleep Deprived? |
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Is Your
Child Sleep Deprived?
By DrLaura Markham (From: http://www.wellness.com)
Moodiness. Difficulty
concentrating. Forgetfulness. Irritability. Poor judgment.
Sound like a preteen or teen you know? Probably, but these aren’t universal symptoms of adolescence. More likely, they’re signs that your child is sleep-deprived. At puberty, kids’ sleep needs actually increase. Tweens and teens need at least 9.5 hours of sleep, and preferably ten. Most teens in the U.S. are endangering their health and functioning because they’re chronically sleep deprived, says Cornell University psychologist James B. Maas, PhD, a leading sleep expert. Given that the average teen gets up at 6:30am for school, getting 9.5 hours of sleep requires a bedtime of 9pm. Unfortunately, few teens will consider this, even if homework, extra-curricular, TV shows and Facebook upkeep allowed it. This is complicated by the fact that the body's circadian rhythm (the internal biological clock) resets at puberty, making it more difficult to fall asleep, so many kids simply don’t feel tired till later in the evening. Unfortunately, sleeping late on weekends just doesn’t make up for the lost sleep. What’s a parent to do? Help your teen reset his circadian rhythm and maintain healthy sleep habits, including a consistent 9pm bedtime, minimal weekend sleeping in, dim lights before bedtime, avoiding caffeine & alcohol, stress reduction, plenty of sunshine and fresh air, no TV during the week, and banning computers and other stimulating distractions from the bedroom. Not enforceable? It’s true that you can’t force a teen to do much of anything, but you can certainly negotiate, teach, and influence. Here’s where having nurtured a deep connection with your child comes in handy; you simply have more clout if she still sees you as nurturer and helpful life guide, rather than someone to rebel against. That’s your first step. But that’s another blog. |
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