The Effects of Sleep Deprivation - Teenagers

Teenagers are an interesting group of people to study in terms of sleep and sleep needs, as along with the usual concerns around getting enough sleep there is a big biological shift in their sleep patterns as well. This along with an increase in social activities, homework and studying, social media and computer access, as well as peer pressure and 'fitting in', means that sleep can be pushed down the list of priorities when in fact it should be at the top.

Teenagers need an average of nine to nine and half hours of sleep each night. Some need a little less, some a little more. As I mentioned above there is a biological shift that happens at this stage of development that lasts till the early 20's, which makes it difficult for teenagers and young adults to fall asleep before 11 pm, forcing them to go to bed earlier may not actually help them sleep any better or longer.

This of course has a big impact on how much sleep they get as they need to get up in time for school and most schools start between 8 and 9 am. This leads the classic picture of the lazy teenager not waking up in the morning and being ready for school!

The effects of sleep deprivation are similar to those of younger children in terms of both physical and mental performance. A sleep deprived teenager will do less well in their schoolwork and have difficulty remembering information. Staying up late to do last minute revision before an exam is actually less effective than getting a good night's sleep.

Poor sleep patterns will also affect sports performances, and can lead to teenagers being overweight and having problematic skin conditions. Although completely different examples these are areas that are important to teenagers and can have an effect on their confidence and self perception which in turn has a knock on effect with their social skills and interaction.

There is also alarming research showing that the effects of sleep deprivation on driving is similar to the effects of alcohol on driving. This needs to be discussed with any teenager who is learning to drive and pushed as much as the 'Don't drink and drive' message.

Alcohol and cigarettes are also stimulants and can affect sleep and teenage years are when most people start experimenting with these. Large amounts of caffeine will stimulate the brain and affect sleeping patterns; drinking large amounts of energy drinks may initially help a sleep deprived person get through important tests or exams but can have a knock on effect on the following sleep and set up a sleep deprived/caffeine intake cycle that needs to be broken.

Also poor sleep, a lack of interest in social activities and poor school performance can can be a sign of depression and so this is harder to spot amongst the usual teenage 'blues'. If you are concerned about a teenager, then sit down and ask them about their goals and inspirations and if you remain concerned seek medical advice.

The best way to ensure a teenager gets enough sleep is to encourage and develop good sleep habits when they are younger. However it is never to late to try and create good habits and work with the awareness of the shift in the body clock and help them adapt to it instead of trying to fight it

- Encourage a routine where homework is done earlier in the evening and finished well before bedtime

- Also encourage a no-screen time after 10pm. The lights (and the closeness of them) on a computer screen stimulates the receptors at the back of the eyes and blocks the message to the brain that it is night time and to get ready for sleep. TV screens are not as bad as they are watched from a greater distance.

- Record programmes that are on later at night to be watched at other times.

- Make the bedroom a place for sleep and not activity. Remove computers and tv's and have sidelights and dimmer switches to keep the light level low

- Have as much natural light as possible in the morning o help the body wake up. Walking or cycling to school can help with this

- Have different areas in the home for homework, computers and tv's. It is important that the brain associates the bedroom with sleep and not other activities

- Encourage phones to switched off at night and perhaps have an overnight docking/recharge station somewhere else in the home, where ALL the families phones go. This is best started from a younger age

- Set up consistent bedtime and waking times through the week as the brain responds well to this and recognizes the trigger signs for sleep

- Have a good wind down routine for the end of the day - after the screens have been turned off, have a bath, a bedtime snack and reading (for fun) are all good things to help the brain wind-down and prepare for sleep

- Allow time for strategic naps and lie-ins for catching up on sleep on weekends and holidays. Do not nap too close to bedtime and also only allow a couple of hours lie-in, sleeping in till midday will just throw the bodyclock out of kilter

- Look at any out of school activities and monitor how many hours they take each week and is this having an impact on their homework and sleep time. Are strenuous physical activities - sports training etc being done too late in the evening to give the body to relax before sleep

- Keep an open dialogue going about the importance sleep and listen to what the teenager says. It is important that this is more of a discussion of pro's and con's rather than an dictation or rule. Help them feel they have a choice in what is decided

- Ask about a delayed start to school. Schools that have put their start time back an hour have found that teenagers do better in achieving good grades and also that truancy levels are reduced

- Talk to teenagers regularly about their day, how things are going and any concerns they may have so that they are not taking worries and stress to bed with them

These are all great habits and will enable teenagers and young adults to live life to the full.

Sweet dreams

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation - School Children

In this second post of the series I'll be looking at sleep deprivation and how it affects school aged children, this is an important stage for children's learning and even a small reduction in their sleep can have a big impact on their all round development.

Children need gradually decreasing amounts of sleep as they get older and it is important to check that they are actually getting what they need, rather than what they say they need - which can be two different things!

Children between the ages of five and twelve need between 11 and 12 hours sleep each night. By the time they reach school ages they no longer need a daytime nap, so this all needs to be at nighttime, so a prompt bedtime is essential to make sure they get their full daily sleep requirements met.

In school aged children the growth rate has slowed down and is not as dramatic as when they were younger however still needs to be taken into consideration for their sleep needs. Unlike an adult whose bodies repair and renew themselves during sleep and rest, children's bodies also need sleep time to grow. Even a half an hour sleep deficit each night can also have a drastic affect on children's concentration and learning abilities.

There is a huge demand on children this age from school, homework, sports and extra-curricular activities. Children of this age also have a growing interest in TV, computers, internet and games. There is also an increase in consuming caffeinated products as well and parents have less control over their diets with school canteens and pocket money spends, which makes more demands on their health needs too.

This is also an age where sleep problems begin to show up and there can also be a resistance to bedtime and sleep. It is important to observe and take not of any dramatic changes in children's sleep patterns.
A lack of sleep will show up in mood swings, behavioural problems, lack of energy and enthusiasm as well as a decrease in school marks and grades.

As parents you can help your child by

- keeping an open discussion about the importance of sleep and setting good sleep habits
- keeping bedrooms for sleep and having play areas elsewhere in the house
- keeping computer and gaming equipment out of the bedroom
- having a 'no screen hour' before bedtime to help them wind down for sleep
- encouraging mobile phones to be switched off at night
- ensuring they eat a balanced diet with only a small amount of caffeine

These simple sleep measures will help ensure that school aged children wake each morning ready to get the most out their busy days at school.

If you would like help in changing your children's sleep routines, then please contact me and we can arrange for a free introductory session.

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation - Babies and Toddlers

This is the first in a series about the effects of sleep deprivation on different groups and ages of people. Today we will be looking at young children.

Babies - though most people's perceptions of young babies is that they sleep all the time, it is in-fact possible (though rare) for babies to be sleep deprived. This can have a negative impact on their health and their growth, also with the suggestion that sleep deprivation can lead to babies being overweight. Research has also shown that babies who get enough sleep are more easy going and approachable.

In my years of working in day care I have noticed that babies who struggle with their sleep and do not get enough are more grumpy and irritable. They find separation from their parents difficult and are more easily distressed during the day. Once we had set up a good napping schedule for them, they found the day more easy going, were able to engage in activities and were happier and more content.

One of the problems in diagnosing sleep deprivation in babies is that all seem to have different sleep needs and habits. One baby may sleep happily anywhere at the drop of a hat, while another needs a more organized routine and environment to sleep. A baby who once slept through the night may suddenly start waking two or three times. As a rough guideline this chart shows the ideal times of recommended sleep through childhood. For babies and toddlers this is spread across daytime naps and nighttime sleeping.

Age                    Hours Of Sleep
0 - 2 months       10.5 - 18
2 - 12 months     14 - 15
1 - 3 years          12 - 14
3 - 5 years          11 - 13  
5 - 12 years        10 - 11

If you can recognize the signs of tiredness in your baby and act straight away by putting them to bed, then you will be setting them up for a good sleep pattern for life. These signs may include (and this list is not exclusive)-
pulling their ears, their eyelids looking red, rubbing their eyes, a glazed look in their eyes and a far away expression on their face, yawning, starting to cry for no reason and not being comforted or distracted by stimulation, lack of interest in toys or stimulation.

As babies grow their sleep needs change and things such as teething, growth spurts and starting daycare can affect their sleep patterns.

Toddlers still need plenty of sleep and like all age groups suffer from the affects of sleep deprivation. I am sure that most parents have a picture or two of a tired toddler who has fallen asleep in a strange place! However a lack of sleep can affect their learning and social skills, as well as their growth. Again sleep deprived toddlers can gain weight - but weight gain has many causes, not just sleep deprivation.

Toddlers are far more mobile than babies and conversely the signs of a tired toddler include running around and wild behaviour, this is a last stand against the tiredness that is growing in their bodies and not a sign that they have loads of energy left to burn. A toddler will naturally be energetic when they wake from a sleep but if they are running around in the late evening before bedtime it is that they are overtired, not full of energy that needs to burnt off.

Sleep deprived toddlers are also more likely to have moods and tantrums - but then this is also typical toddler behaviour!

In order to work out if your toddler is sleep deprived observe and record their behaviour, if they are having more tantrums and wild behaviour in the evenings or before nap time it points to them being tired. Also have a bedtime routine that allows for a wind-down, the last hour before bed should be calming and restful with quiet activities such as a bath and time for stories. Download a good bedtime routine here.
Though it may take a few days (or nights) of effort, establishing a good bedtime routine at this early age will help your child be bright, alert and ready to learn important life skills.

If you are having problems settling a baby or toddler into a sleep routine then please contact a professional for correct advice and sleep training.

It goes without saying that young babies and sleep deprivation of new parents goes hand in hand - and I will address meeting the sleep needs of parents in a later post.