Is Insomnia Common in Teenagers?

It has been reported by many doctors that insomnia occurs in teenagers, and it is becoming a more frequent problem as of late. At the adolescent stage of life, teenagers require an average of about 7-9 hours of sleep to function at 100%. (Assuming proper diet and exercise are kept constant.) Unfortunately, this s often not the case.

For teenagers, there are some different causes of insomnia. One common "cause" of insomnia in teenagers is the nocturnal lifestyle. Simply forcing their bodies to stay awake on their computers, doing homework, watching TV, etc. and still getting up at 6:00am for school just doesn't cut it! Then, the circadian rhythm is interfered with by teenagers trying to "make up for lost sleep" by sleeping in 'til the afternoon on the weekends. This rapid change in sleeping patterns is common among adults as well, but typically from jet lag or mandatory shift changes at work, and is terrible for adults and teenagers alike.

By following this abnormal sleeping pattern, they are forcing their mind in and out of comfort zones with bedtimes, which leads directly to difficulty falling asleep and frequent waking. This process can take at least two weeks to fix. Because teenagers cope with the constant tiredness, they drive their bodies into caffeine-thirsty machines, running on low battery week after week.

This is just one common reason for sleeping problems in teenagers. Another is less direct, involving depression and/or anxiety. The teenage years can be tough, and many teens become stressed out from daily life, making it difficult to get proper sleep. Even for teenagers who are able to sleep, this stressful mindset decreases the quality of sleep, a factor difficult to measure, but easy to feel.

What To Do About Teenagers With Insomnia:

It sounds silly, but teenagers require regular bedtimes. By keeping them in a routine, their circadian clock is much less fragile, which counters the negative effects above. Also, by keeping them on a healthy diet and exercise regimen, their energy will rise naturally, and they will actually want to go to sleep at a decent time to be ready for the next day's exercise.