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Here we share advice and tips to help you with your sleep.
As School Nurses, we are meeting lots of young people who seem to be having issues with their sleep. Here we share some top tips to help you get a better night’s sleep.
Getting better sleep can have a positive impact on all aspects of your life. From helping the brain retain information (great for memory and revision) to helping us to look better (think clearer skin and shinier hair) these are just some health benefits to sleeping well.
It can be difficult to fall asleep in your teenage years as changes happen in the brain, meaning you produce the sleep hormone, melatonin, later at night, which means you don’t feel sleepy until later. There are things you can do to help, such as having a consistent routine.
For something to become routine, we need to repeat it a number of times and do the same thing at the same time each day. This will strengthen our body clock and help to aid a good night’s sleep. Keeping a consistent bedtime and wake up routine will help.
Avoid the temptation to be on your phone all night. Screens at bedtime are bad for sleep. According to some research, using screens before you go to bed can double the length of time it takes you to fall asleep, as it suppresses the production of your sleep hormone, melatonin. Ditch your phone, tablet or games console in the hour leading up to your bedtime and do something else that you find relaxing. Maybe listening to music or reading a good book, which allows you to relax naturally and switch off from everyday stresses and worries.
There are some foods that we can eat in the run-up to bedtime, which will help to promote sleep and encourage the body to produce melatonin. Snacks like low sugar cereal and milk, bananas, cherries and even cheese are all healthier, sleepier choices. Add a sleep snack to your routine before bed, and it might make a difference!
Cut back on energy drinks, coffee and sugary soft drinks and enjoy a herbal tea or glass of water instead. Fuelling yourself with energy drinks will make it harder to fall asleep. Caffeine can influence how long it takes you to fall asleep and affects how long you sleep for, as well as the quality of your sleep.
If you want to get some personalised advice, please get in touch with your School Nurse team in West Sussex, just text “I want help with my sleep”:
There is also a great website called the Teen Sleep Hub from the Sleep Charity, which has even more information and loads of helpful advice.
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