Most parents will agree that our favorite time of year will soon be upon us; back to school. I suggested to my student that in preparation, she consider practicing not staying up till all hours online and sleeping until noon.
OK, I was dreaming. But each year at this time, we experience the tough transition of getting back into a school sleep routine. In fact, a teenager's internal body clock, or circadian rhythm, naturally would have them fall asleep at 11 p.m. or later, and most need approximately nine hours of sleep to maintain optimal daytime alertness.
With school activities, homework, socializing, part-time jobs, spending time on Facebook — I'm not sure I ranked these in order of importance — all taking priority over sleep, nine hours is rarely attained. Your teen might not think this is a big deal, especially if she is doing okay in school. But it is.
"Almost all teenagers, as they reach puberty, become walking zombies because they are getting far too little sleep," comments James B. Maas, one of the nation's leading sleep experts. According to the Mayo Clinic, sleep deprivation can lead to inability to concentrate, learn or even stay awake in class, may cause mood swings and may contribute to deadly car accidents.
"Drowsy driving" causes more than 100,000 crashes each year. The pattern of going to bed very late and sleeping in more closely resembles a teenager's internal clock than the school year schedule.
Experts at the National Sleep Foundation note that "because of their unique sleep needs, teenager's brains are not ready to be alert until long after the typical high school day has begun."
Teens can adjust their circadian clocks for the school year, but it might take a couple of weeks. Have them get organized to enhance sleep:
— Fall asleep at your natural bedtime for a few more nights and wake up at a fixed time for school. Then go to bed 15 minutes earlier each night until you are able to fall asleep at a reasonable time. The incremental schedule changes must happen every day, including weekends.
— Avoid naps during this phase.
— Wind down at night with a warm bath, book or other relaxing activities.
— Be sure you have a good quality mattress — the single bed you had as a kid might not provide enough space for a good night's sleep.
— Turn off the television and computer. The bright computer screen is believed to affect your circadian rhythms and the bright display could suppress melatonin, which helps to regulate the sleep/wake cycle. Don't go to bed with the cellphone on your pillow — turn it off!
— Avoid caffeine, even if it helps keep you awake during classes.
— Open blinds and turn on bright lights as soon as you wake up, and make your room cool, quiet and as dark as possible at bedtime. Creating the bright light and darkness will help reset your body clock.
When establishing the new sleep-wake cycle, it is essential to keep on the same schedule on weekends and holidays, especially over the first few weeks.
Once on a good schedule, weekend deviations are OK, but stay within a few hours of your established wake-sleep times.
Alleviate stress and get organized by creating a to-do list before you go to bed. This will prevent worrying and stressing too much as you try to fall asleep.
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(This column should not be substituted for medical advice. It is recommended that you talk with your doctor when making medical decisions. Lynda G. Shrager is an occupational therapist, author and professional health organizing consultant from Slingerlands, N.Y. E-mail: lshrager(at)otherwisehealthy.com)