Healthy sleep practices for teens

Targets for teens	Counseling points
Go to bed around the same time each night, and wake up around the same time each morning.	You should not need to sleep much later than an hour or so on weekends. This can make it hard to switch back to the school-day schedule. If you consistently want to sleep for more than 2 hours extra on weekends, you may not be getting sufficient sleep during the week.
Avoid caffeine (coffee, energy drinks, etc) altogether but particularly in the afternoon and evening.	Caffeine is not a substitute for sufficient sleep. Caffeine can cause insomnia and increase anxiety and may cause headaches during withdrawal from daily use.
Get plenty of exercise, but avoid intense exercise during the 2 to 3 hours before bedtime.	Exercise usually helps you sleep more deeply, but intense exercise before bedtime can make it harder to fall asleep.
Don't play computer games, text, or do homework in bed.	The bed should be a quiet place primarily for sleep.
Avoid bright lights from televisions, computers, and cell phones for at least 1 hour before bed.	Light from electronic devices in the hours before bed can shift the body's clock later, making it hard to go to sleep and then harder to wake up in the morning.
Open shades or go outside first thing in the morning, soon after waking up.	Natural light helps you wake up and get the day started.
Avoid texting, phone, television, or computer during sleep hours^*.	These activities, and the light from the screen, tends to wake up your brain, making it harder to get back to sleep.

While these recommendations apply to teenagers in general, they are particularly pertinent for those who are at risk for or have insomnia. Teenagers often develop a circadian rhythm that is slightly longer than 24 hours, which results in a circadian-mediated shift (delay) in sleep and wake time relative to the desired or required sleep schedule. When severe, this is called delayed sleep-wake phase disorder. All of the healthy sleep strategies in the table, especially regular bedtimes and wake times, are appropriate interventions for this type of sleep-onset insomnia. Refer to UpToDate content for further information on delayed sleep-wake phase disorder.

* Teenagers are most likely to meet this goal if their parent(s) or guardian(s) set a firm limit, including leaving their phones and any other devices outside of the bedroom.

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Healthy sleep practices for teens