Remember how you felt when your baby was first born? Fewer hours of sleep. Broken sleep. And the sheer exhaustion that came from it.
Teens can feel the same fatigue, just for different reasons.
They may stay up late to get their homework done after a full day at school, practice, and work. They may struggle to fall asleep because their brain just won’t shut off. Teens also naturally tend to shift towards a later sleep schedule and may not feel tired until later at night. Throw in phones, video games, social media and incontinent routines (like sleeping in on the weekends), and you’ve got a recipe for an exhausted teen.
A few signs that your teen’s sleep might need support:
- Difficulty falling asleep (takes more than 30–60 minutes)
- Frequent awakenings during the night
- Trouble getting up in the morning
- Daytime irritability or mood swings
- Increased anxiety or low motivation
- Falling asleep in class or needing frequent naps
So, what is sleep hygiene?
Sleep hygiene simply means the habits and routines that support good sleep. Small, consistent changes can make a big difference. Here are a few practical sleep hygiene tips for teens:
1. Create a consistent sleep schedule: encourage your teen to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time every day, even on weekends (within about an hour). Consistency helps regulate their internal clock.
2. Wind down before bed: Teens need a transition from “day mode” to “sleep mode.” Helpful wind-down activities: Listening to calm music, reading, showering, journaling to brain dump thoughts.
3. Limit screen time at night: Blue light from phones and devices can delay sleep. It’s best to aim for no screens 30–60 minutes before bed and charge phones outside the bedroom if possible.
4. Make the bed a sleep zone only: Use the bed exclusively for sleep and avoid doing homework, watching TV, scrolling, or gaming while in the bed. This allows your teen to train their brain and body that bed = sleep.
5. Daytime habits matter: Encourage your teen to avoid naps (especially afternoon naps and naps longer than 30 minutes), to stop caffeine intake after 2, and to work on moving their body during the day (but avoid intense exercise right before bed).
6. Ensure the environment is right for sleeping: Most people sleep better in cool, dark rooms with a white noise or fan.
Restorative sleep is vitally important to your teen’s overall health. If you feel like your teen is struggling with their sleep and you would like additional support, please click here to complete the new client form.