In an on-line study, more teens agreed that turning their phone off opposed to going to bed earlier or having a better bed-time routine, would help them get a better night’s sleep. Of course, turning a phone off is beneficial, but how many actually do?
The Australian Centre for Education and Sleep said 35 – 40% of children and adolescents experienced some form of sleep problem during their development. Studies have revealed children as young as 11, have only 4 hours of sleep. However, on the flip side, if teens are having more than 9 hours of sleep, then this may mean they have other sleep problems to address.
Sleep problems among teens is worse now than ever with the introduction of technology. Parents need to monitor their teen’s habits and guide them towards better ones. Just because they’re teenagers, it doesn’t mean they are able to monitor it effectively themselves. It would be better to do it in a caring way than a domineering one. A household rule could be to put all phones in the kitchen at 9pm and maybe you could ask you teen if there is anything you could do to help them so they can get to bed on time. I think it’s important for teens to know there is still a bed time even though it is later now that they are a bit older. Parents also need to encourage their teens to keep being active as this helps the healthy sleep cycle.
After studying thousands of children, psychologist Mona El-Sheikh, a professor of child development, said their were major consequences for children who didn’t get enough shut-eye and especially for those who lived poorly and came from more economically disadvantaged homes. She said they benefited more when they slept better because it reduced their overall stress levels.
Every parent needs to make good sleep habits their gift to their children. These good habits need to start early and be maintained and monitored.
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