Sleep deprivation is common among
teenagers, but simple changes can help promote better sleep.
Sari Meltzer of Rockville, Md.,
coaxes herself out of bed at 6:45 a.m. each school day.
"I'd rather turn over" and
stay in bed, she says. The classic teenage struggle is mostly due to a shift in
the sleep-wake schedule that turns many teens into night owls.
In the evenings, Sari is connected to
many friends via the phone, e-mail, instant messaging and online networks.
"Last night, I e-mailed my camp
friends, and I was talking online and going on Facebook.com," and with all
of that going on, she says, it's easy to lose track of time.
Sari is much more mindful of sleep
these days. Two years ago, when she began having trouble falling asleep before
midnight or 1 a.m., her mother took her see to sleep physician Helene Emsellem.
"My practice taking care of
teens increased mostly as my own children became teenagers and I became more
enlightened about the problems," Emsellem says. "We've also learned a
lot more about what regulates the sleep-wake schedule."
Genes, exposure to light and dark,
personal behavior and the secretion of melatonin all play a role in regulating
sleep.
Research studies have documented that
two-thirds of teenagers experience a shifting of the internal clock toward much
later sleep times. Emsellem says our society's 24/7 culture makes things worse.
"As we have more and more ways
to stay connected at night, we've seen an exaggeration of the night-owlism in
teenagers," Emsellem says.
To fight back, Emsellem urges parents
to take televisions and computers out of teens' bedrooms which is easier said
than done. And she encourages a strict turn-off time, with the exception of
music-playing devices.
"I encourage teens to listen to
music at night, and make a playlist that's soothing," Emsellem says. When
the volume is low, and the room is dark, the environment promotes sleep.
Emsellem also recommends:
Remove clutter from your teens'
bedrooms.
Paint walls calm colors, such as
soft blues and greens, tan, light yellow or peach.
Schedule early dinners; big meals
close to bedtime require digestive processes that can keep you awake.
Have your teen shower at night and
set clothes out in the evening, too, so he or she can get a few more minutes of
sleep in the morning.
Encourage more exercise if your
teen is not participating in a sport.
Limit caffeinated drinks.
Help your teen set a regular
sleep-wake routine that won't vary by more than two hours on the weekends.
Teens may only adopt these changes
once they believe there is really something to be gained from sleeping more. To
this end, Emsellem tells her patients that optimal amounts of sleep, which for
teens is 9.25 hours, is almost a form of studying.
"After you've learned things
during the day without ever opening a book again you'll score better on a
test of new material than you did at the end of the lecture," she says.
This is because your brain replays
the information and consolidates it into memories as you sleep.
Light Therapy and Melatonin
For teenage patients who try the
lifestyle adjustments but still need extra help getting more sleep, Emsellem
sometimes recommends light therapy and melatonin pills.
"Exaggerating light in the
morning in order to reinforce the circadian signal of light to the brain is a
very powerful tool," Emsellem says.
Sari Melzter wears a visor with two
bright lights built into the brim for about 20 minutes every morning as she's
getting ready for school. The visor, made by Physician Engineered Products, is
called a "Feel Bright Light."
"My mind feels more awake after
it," Sari says.
Then, in order to power-down after
the school day is over, Emsellem has advised Sari to take an over-the-counter
melatonin pill.
"I have an alarm on my watch, so
it beeps and I take [the pill]," says Sari.
Melatonin, which signals the brain to
turn off alertness, can be helpful, Emsellem says. But clinical research trials
have turned out mixed results about its efficacy. There is some evidence to
suggest that melatonin is effective in treating delayed sleep-phase syndrome
with short-term use. Emsellem recommends a small dose six hours before bed.
The Challenge of Weekends
Teens who adopt better sleep habits
sometimes lapse during weekends when typical teen life involves staying up well
past midnight. This puts the parents of teens in a bind.
"You really almost feel like a criminal if you
wake them up before 11," says Emsellem. Parents know their teens are
exhausted. But if teens don't stick to within two hours of their weekday wake
schedule, they'll get so far out of sync that Monday