| If you're not aware of the impact of insomnia | | | | |
| in teenagers, you might want to take a second | | | | Below are some treatments for insomnia in |
| look. No wonder why you can't keep your teens | | | | teenagers. Though these may be done on your |
| from watching the late night show, or why | | | | own, it is still best to seek advice from a |
| they still looked tired in the morning after | | | | doctor or qualified medical practitioner. |
| going to bed early. Sleeplessness or problems | | | | |
| sleeping among teenagers may not appear | | | | 1) Light Therapy. Expose your teens to |
| serious at first, but insomnia in teenagers | | | | bright light in the mornings. This will help |
| is very much a reality. In fact, insomnia in | | | | their body feel that it is time to wake up. A |
| teenagers is very common. | | | | device called a light box can be used for |
| | | | this purpose. |
| In a study particularly among US teens, more | | | | |
| than 90% reported having problems sleeping at | | | | 2) On the other hand, keeping the |
| least twice per week within the past year. | | | | bedroom dark or in subdued light can signal |
| For some, insomnia seemed chronic and | | | | to the body that it is time to sleep. |
| recurrent, beginning from the age of 11. | | | | |
| | | | 3) Chronotherapy. Delay bedtime by two |
| And because of school the next day, teens | | | | or three hours progressively every night for |
| still need to get up early despite lack of | | | | several succeeding nights. For example, if |
| sleep. This sleep deprivation can cause | | | | your teen usually sleeps at midnight, you can |
| irritability, moodiness, and difficulty | | | | make him/her stay up until 2 or 3 am and get |
| learning and concentrating, thus affecting | | | | up at 10 or 11 am. The next night, he/she |
| teenagers' school performance. An even more | | | | will sleep at 6 am and wake up at 2 pm, and |
| serious effect of insomnia is that it can be | | | | so on. Continue with this until you reach |
| a prelude to depression or anxiety disorder. | | | | the desired bedtime. This may be best to do |
| Studies also show that young people (16-29 | | | | towards the end of the summer break. |
| years old) are most prone to auto accidents | | | | |
| as a result of falling asleep behind the | | | | 4) Medications with melatonin. |
| wheel. | | | | Melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone, can |
| | | | help. Let your teen take it five hours before |
| Causes of Insomnia in Teenagers | | | | the desired bedtime. Taking this, though, |
| | | | should be more of a last resort as this can |
| At the onset of puberty, a person's body | | | | have side effects. It is best to take this |
| clock changes. Before adolescence, this clock | | | | under a doctor's supervision. |
| directs the person to naturally fall asleep | | | | |
| around 8 or 9 pm. For teens, though, this | | | | Apart from these treatments, you can do the |
| time is delayed two hours or later. | | | | following to help your teens sleep better: |
| | | | |
| Moreover, as this age is usually the time of | | | | 1) Encourage them to exercise during the |
| exploration and discovery among teens, this | | | | day, but not within three hours before |
| is when they start drinking, smoking, and | | | | bedtime. Regular exercise can help establish |
| staying out late with their friends. They may | | | | healthy sleep patterns. |
| also start drinking coffee to stay alert | | | | |
| during the day. These habits, though, can | | | | 2) Discourage them to do homework or |
| cause or aggravate insomnia in teenagers and | | | | anything mentally stimulating one hour before |
| may give rise to other sleep disorders. | | | | bedtime. |
| | | | |
| Stress in school, like peer pressure, school | | | | 3) Decrease caffeine in their diet. |
| performance, and relationship with teachers | | | | |
| can also contribute to insomnia. | | | | 4) Remove distractions from their |
| | | | bedroom, like the telephone or TV. |
| Some cases of insomnia, though, can start as | | | | |
| early as childhood and continue up to the | | | | 5) If they are worried about the things |
| teenage years. Insomnia in children usually | | | | to do the next day, let them make a list to |
| occurs when the child has become dependent on | | | | eliminate anxiety for the moment. |
| a person or condition that he/she associates | | | | |
| with sleep - for example, a parent. Without | | | | Though insomnia in teenagers can be serious, |
| that, these children have a hard time | | | | it is treatable. With you and your teens |
| sleeping. | | | | working together, they can sleep better and |
| | | | be healthier. |
| Treatment of Insomnia in Teenagers | | | | |