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Sleeping

Most people experience difficulty sleeping from time to time. Understanding the cause, and knowing what to do about it will help you feel more in control of this problem.

Teenagers need about 9 hours of sleep a night. Find out more about why teenagers seem to sleep so much here: 

Causes

Normal development during adolescence causes disruption to sleep. Teenagers often find that they don’t feel tired in the evenings yet are overwhelmingly tired in the mornings.

  • Stress and worry
  • Illness
  • Eating late
  • Over stimulation – watching TV or using a computer, tablet or phone
  • Lack of physical exercise

Things that will help you sleep

  • Make sure your room is: Nice and quiet, dark and not too hot

  • Don’t eat dinner too late
  • Avoid stimulants such as tea, coffee and energy drinks in the evening
  • Do some exercise every day
  • Read for half an hour before you go to sleep
  • Stop watching TV/playing computer games an hour before bedtime
  • Have a bath or shower before bed
  • Go to the toilet before bed
  • If you have lots of thoughts in your head, write them down on paper
  • If sleeping persists to be a problem for you, ask your school nurse for advice

Find more tips for better sleep here.

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