Early bird or night owl? People are often referred to as one of these types when it comes to their sleep patterns. According to clinical psychologist and sleep specialist Michael Breus, author of The Power of When: Discover Your Chronotype, there are more types or chronotypes, as he refers to them.
And this will not be a shock to anyone…. Breus says most teens fall into his category of ‘Wolves’ which means they prefer afternoon and evening activity to mornings and like to stay up late and sleep in. (source: CBS News Chronotypes)
If you’re the parent of a teen, you’ve likely seen a shift in sleep patterns with your teen — higher energy in the evening, later bed time, followed by a grumpy and barely functioning person first thing in the morning.
What you can do
According to Psychology Today magazine, research shows as little as 15 percent of teenagers are getting the sleep they need. This affects their health, ability to learn and performance. There’s a whole month of summer left to work with your teenager to shift into a better and more consistent schedule. Here’s what you can do to get them ready for the new school year.
- Set a bedtime and wake time
- Allow for a sleep-in of up to 60 minutes on weekends (but no more than that)
- Educate yourself
More tips:
Make sure your teen’s room is set up for a great night’s sleep:
- One of the best ways to ensure a good sleep is to have a completely dark room, with no light emitting devices. Supply your teenager set up with an alarm clock or radio for a regular wake up time or wake him or her up at a set time each day.
- It’s difficult to sleep when your bed isn’t comfortable. If your teen has been using the same mattress for the last decade, it likely needs replacing. Sleep Boutique’s modular mattresses mean never having to replace or throw away an old mattress again — you can just replace parts as needed. Your teen can use it as he or she transitions into adulthood and leaves the nest.
- Don’t want to invest in a new mattress? Consider one of our mattress toppers.
Check out our website for more information on Sleep Boutique’s built-to-order sleep solutions.