Firm sleep rhythm helps teens

Teenagers should follow certain rules for a healthy sleep

20/09/2013

Many adolescents suffer from lack of sleep. Often nightly chat or internet games are responsible for this. During the week, the young people usually sleep too little, while they sleep too late at the weekend. As a result, sleep is less restful overall. If minors sleep poorly within a period of at least one month, three days a week, experts talk about sleep disorders.

What young people should consider for a healthy sleep
The Foundation for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IGWiG) in Cologne points out that especially a regular rhythm is crucial for a healthy sleep. Nocturnal chat or late television prevented relaxing sleep. When young people sleep too little during the week, they usually try to compensate for their tiredness by taking a long sleep at the weekend. However, according to the IGWiG, this does not work. Rather, an irregular sleep rhythm develops.

Therefore it makes sense to go to bed at the same time in the evening - not too late - and get up in the morning. In addition, the Foundation advises, „Stop talking on the phone for a while before going to bed, stop listening to loud music and stop playing computer or mobile phone, drink no stimulating drinks in the evening, for example, coke, energy drinks, coffee, black or green tea, do not go to bed to smoke, because the nicotine in cigarettes can be stimulating“ such as „Shortly before going to sleep no more strenuous exercise“. The environment can also influence the sleep behavior. The bedroom should be loud IGWiG „quiet and dark“ his. In addition, it makes sense not to use the bed as a place to watch TV, computer games, to read or to eat.

Healthy sleep through relaxation exercises
If teenagers still can not sleep, they should get up and go to bed when they are tired. Does not help against sleep disorders, the foundation recommends relaxation exercises such as autogenic training, or progressive muscle relaxation. Autogenic training is „a kind of self-hypnosis“, when the body is put into different states such as heat or heaviness. At the end of the exercises the body is relaxed. In progressive muscle relaxation, certain muscle groups are sequentially strained and relaxed again, which also puts the body in a state of relaxation.

In addition, a behavioral therapy can be useful, because often put mental problems and worries behind the sleep disorders. With the help of a therapist, the young people learn to find their natural sleep rhythm again through specific tasks and exercises.

Sleeping pills should generally only be taken in exceptional cases in consultation with a doctor. Most funds can already lead to dependencies for a short duration. Also, many medications have unwanted side effects. This includes, for example, tiredness during the day. (Ag)

Picture: CFalk