To limit light, cover your alarm clock and other light sources. Ask your parents to install blackout curtains or try a sleeping mask. Ask your family to keep it quiet while you’re trying to sleep. Or, try a noise machine, earplugs, and shutting your window.
Stay positive. Take 30 minutes to write a log in your gratitude journal and think about something exciting you have coming up. Relax. Try stretching, meditating, or doing a breathing exercise. Warm up your body. Take a nice, warm shower in the last hour before bed. This can help you fall asleep more easily! Enjoy yourself. Listen to calming music, practice your instrument, or read a chapter of your book.
Try something screen-less to keep you entertained. Read a book, plan your outfit for tomorrow, or shoot some hoops. Staying off your phone for 2 hours might sound impossible—if you feel like you can’t totally ignore it, limit the time you spend on your phone instead. Most phones have “blue light filters”—but their effectiveness isn’t totally clear. Don’t assume that using your phone while it’s filtered will solve your problem!
Try peanut butter on wheat bread, cereal, pretzels, or graham crackers.
Lavendar, chamomile, clary sage, bergamot, sandalwood, and jasmine can all reduce stress and anxiety before bedtime. Peppermint and eucalyptus are known to clear your airways, making it easier to sleep the whole night through.
It can be so tough not to snooze your alarm in the morning, but if you manage to wake up right away, your sleep schedule will benefit. Even on the weekends, stick to the same schedule. It’s all about circadian rhythms—and they don’t take breaks on Saturday and Sunday!
If you do take naps, make sure they’re no longer than 45 minutes. If you’re afraid you’ll oversleep, ask your family member to come and shake you awake at the right time. Only take naps before 4pm. This means that while you’re in school, naps should probably only happen on the weekend.
Don’t work out within 3 hours before bed. Exercise boosts energy, and if you do it too late in the day, it could hurt your sleep. Maybe you only have time to work out in the evening—if that’s the case, go with low-impact exercise (like doing yoga or taking a walk). If you want to do intense exercise, try swimming, start running, or do strength training.
Experts usually suggest that you stop drinking coffee before 2 p. m. Coffee even 6 hours before bedtime reduces sleep on average by a full hour! So depending on your bedtime, you might want to stop earlier in the day.
Take time each week to enjoy your hobbies and passions—ask a friend to go hiking, play videogames, or do some writing. Say “no” to some of your responsibilities. To limit stress, take a break from one of your activities or sports. Mindfulness means you’re aware of your thoughts, and it can limit stress. Yoga, meditation, and journaling can help you improve this skill. If you’re struggling, open up to family and friends. Talking about how you’re feeling with someone you trust can help.
Maximize your sunlight in the morning. Take your cereal out to the porch and eat your breakfast in the sun. Getting enough light while at school might feel tough. Focus on taking breaks (lunch, free periods, etc. ) outside when you can. Talk to your parents about getting a light therapy box. In the winter months especially, this can help you get more natural light.
Do something a little boring, and you might even doze off doing it. Read a book that isn’t particularly exciting, for example! Do a simple activity, like knitting, coloring, or braiding your hair. Try a relaxing game, like solitaire or sudoku.
So how much sleep should you get as a 13 or 14 year old? For anyone in their teen years (13-18 years old), shoot for 8-10 hours of sleep every 24 hours.
A melatonin prescription, for example, can significantly improve the quality of your sleep. There might be a super easier treatment that can solve your issues ASAP, and all you needed was a doctor’s opinion!
