Time for bed and other stories for teenagers!

What time does your teenager go to bed? Ok, now ask yourself, what time does your teenager go to sleep? The night time always seems more interesting, the best programs are on late evening, friends want to chat once supper is eaten and mum is telling the teenager to go to bed. You may wonder why your teen always seems so sleepy in the morning; granted, teenagers are not renowned for being morning animals, but even so, they seem positively lethargic.

The real reason probably has far more to do with them using their laptop to chat to friends till the early hours; or texting till the battery dies on their mobile phone. Apparently, over 60% of children aged 5-17 have a television n their bedroom and most of them have cable, so the safe harbor is nigh on unenforceable, unless you specifically check on your teenager after 10 pm.

Maybe the right approach is to look at sleep time, not bedtime. Teenage circadian rhythms have a lot to answer for, they seem to be set to sleep later and rise later. However, sleep deprivation is a serious problem; a study by the National Sleep Foundation in 2006 discovered that over a quarter of high school student's fall asleep in class. Experts certainly agree that lack of sleep can lead to drops in grades, so the sleep lost now, means income and success lost later.

So how much sleep does your average teenager need? According to sleep experts most teens need between 8 and a half to 9 and a half hours sleep a night. Work backwards from when your teenager has to get up in the morning to determine when they should be falling asleep. Now, add on time to get to sleep! An example is, a teenager who has to be at school by 8am, gets up at 7am, needs 9 hours sleep so should be asleep by 10pm, so going to bed at 10pm is cutting into their sleep time.

Teenagers find it harder than most people to fall asleep; they tend to be more affected by stress and emotions at night time than adults are. If they find it hard to concentrate the next day, are irritable and moody and fall asleep in class; clearly they have not had enough sleep. So, how can you help them? Bedtime stories of the scary nature are a bad idea; in other words, disconnect the television, no late night horror for your teen. Long term, you could try lobbying your high school for a later start; this has occurred in a number of schools across America. In the meantime, studies show you have to train the body to work to a routine.

This means, a regular bedtime and even at weekends, no lying in bed till late. If your teenager is sporty, fine, exercise helps you to sleep, but it should finish three hours before bedtime otherwise it has the opposite effect and keeps you awake! No caffeine drinks, cigarettes or alcohol before bed. In fact caffeine should be avoided after 4pm or its effects will still be present at bedtime. If your teenager is addicted to social networking, be ruthless; remove the computer, confiscate the phone at nighttime. Bedrooms should be quiet, boring places, to go to sleep in. Sweet dreams!