During Summer, most teens (and kids) are used to staying up a little later than usual and sleeping in. Although this is a nice change compared to an early start when school is in session, it can sometimes be a challenge getting back to a healthy sleep schedule. To get set up for success, it’s important to establish a healthy bedtime routine and figure out how to wake up in the morning without stress. Here are a few of our tips, tricks and other learnings.
The Importance of Sleep
According to the National Sleep Foundation, teens need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night to function their best. Their research indicates that most teens do not get enough sleep. In fact, one of their studies found that only 15% reported sleeping 8 1/2 hours on school nights.
Additionally, teens who don’t get enough sleep have a higher risk of behavioral problems at school and have a more difficult time learning. Lack of sleep also has a negative impact on a student’s overall health.
Establishing a Routine
Before bed. The easiest way to make sure you have an easy time waking up in the morning is to make sure you go to bed at a reasonable time. If someone is naturally a night owl, this can be more difficult – but not impossible. We recommend creating a nightly routine an hour or two before it’s time to fall asleep. Allow your body to start to relax, try diffusing calming essential oils, read, listen to peaceful music, or maybe even try a bath.
Our biggest tip when it comes to your before-bed routine is to make sure you are shutting down all blue light devices at least an hour before bed. Blue light can trick your body into thinking it’s actually day time which can throw off your entire sleep schedule.
Morning. We understand that getting up in the morning can be difficult. In order to get rid of any additional stressors, it may be helpful to do things the night before to streamline your morning. Things like laying out your clothes the night before, having a set breakfast schedule and making sure all homework and necessary paperwork is packed up and ready to go may all be beneficial and highly recommended.
Another great option to make mornings a little less chaotic is to try out different alarm sounds. Instead of an annoying buzzing sound, try switching over to nature noises or maybe even program your alarm to play your favorite song. Putting your phone or alarm farther away from your bed can also assist those who partake in continuous snoozing.
Patience
While waking up early in the morning may be easy for some, it’s important to keep in mind that everyone is different and that this new schedule may take some time to get used to. While working on adopting a new healthy sleep schedule be patient with yourself! It may take time and will require a bit of dedication, but once you are able to easily fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning feeling well-rested, it will all be worth it!