Sport and relaxation for peaceful nights
One in three teenagers complain of poor sleep, with 10 to 20% of them suffering from dysomnia. Clearly, difficulty falling asleep and waking up. Disorders which can be explained by the variations of schedules, inevitable when one abandons the school rhythm for that of the holidays. Sleep can also be disrupted by hormonal changes during puberty.
Another responsible: anxiety. “During the school year, no way to sleep, especially on the eve of a math test, explains Marie, 17. If I go to bed early, before 11 pm, I turn in my bed without finding sleep. Result: the next morning, I am tired and I fall asleep during class. ” In a case like this, the drugs are not helpful. Regular exercise, relaxation exercises, and a hot bath before bed are as effective as sleeping pills. A well-ventilated bedroom, a firm and comfortable mattress also promote sleep. True insomnia only affects a small number of young people who are depressed or very anxious. It is then preferable to consult a doctor, to prevent this disorder from persisting into adulthood.
On vacation, don’t talk to them about schedules anymore
Throughout the year, your older children lead a more or less regular life. But when the holidays arrive, they want to let off steam: don’t talk to them about schedules anymore. Late outings are on the increase and discussions between friends sometimes last until dawn. Refusing to go to bed early is also a way of showing that they are becoming adults, while breaking away from their parents’ “old” habits.
“The teenager is no longer a little one who goes to bed every night at the same time after peeing and brushing his teeth. Late bedtime sounds the death knell for the sandman,” writes Dr Patrice Huerre in his book “Voyage to the land of adolescents”. And in the name of what forbid them to stay up late? They don’t have lessons the next day and the alarm clock is unlikely to ring at 7 a.m. Little by little, their rhythm of life and yours will diverge. And common moments, especially family meals, become rare.
Need sleep
But be careful: if they go to bed later and later, they still need sleep. It is estimated that nine hours is a minimum. It even seems that they need even more rest than the little ones. Schoolchildren who have no difficulty waking up early thus turn into chronic “late risers” high school students.
In practice, however, teenagers rarely get nine hours of sleep during the school year. A survey carried out among young people in Val-de-Marne showed that the average sleep time between 14 and 19 years old went from eight and a half to seven and a half hours. All the more reason to let them recover and sleep as much as they want. The same study showed that the vast majority of them sleep two to five hours more while on vacation.
Meal: keep up the pace
Nibbling is forbidden!
When it comes to meals, so as not to complicate your life, you just need to remind them of a few simple rules. They have the right to get up when they want, but they will have to manage to prepare their own meals. If they emerge after 11 am, you might as well go straight to lunch. Otherwise, they will have staggered schedules until the evening. However, it is important to maintain the rhythm of the meals.
Talking to each other is essential
It is usually in the evening that we meet: at that time, everyone is awake! It is therefore necessary to plan a real meal, to be taken at the family table. Ask them to let you know if they dine out: sometimes they tend to think they are in a hotel.
Same rules of politeness to respect when it comes to sleep, yours this time. If they want to play the guitar or watch television until dawn, ask them to turn down the sound too: parents prefer quiet!
Read also :
Teenagers: come on: let’s get moving
Teenagers still very sensitive to the sun
Our teenager / daily section
