Insomnia, a difficulty in staying or falling asleep that leads to poor functioning during the day.  It’s a complicated problem with many different possible causes depending on the age of the child.  In this post I’ll just be talking about insomnia in adolescents.

Normal sleep at this age.

Children at this age need about 8-10 hours of sleep.  Not only are children at this age still developing mentally and physically, they are also taxing their brains and bodies with learning and physical activities.  Sleep allows the whole body to rest, relax, and refresh.

Consequences of limited sleep.

The first, most obvious consequence to the parents is emotional.  Lack of sleep leads to grumpiness, but it can also affect different mental health issues.  Mentally, less sleep decreases the ability of a child to think critically and use judgement.  Their attention span can decrease significantly depending on how long the sleep deficit has been happening.  This will affect their school performance, as well as make driving more dangerous.  Medically, a lack of sleep can trigger seizures in someone with epilepsy, increase the number of headaches in those with migraines, and affect hormone production and regulation.  Lack of sleep is a factor in obesity, and some other chronic diseases.

Causes of insomnia.

There are multiple possible reasons for insomnia, including certain medical conditions both physical and mental, drugs and medicines, poor sleeping environment, and poor sleep schedule.  Teenagers, particularly, have problems because their internal clock is often skewed to go to sleep later at night, but they have to get up early for school.  Teenagers are also likely to have limited time for sleep due to time spent in school, activities, and doing homework.  They’re also often stressed, and spend a lot of time using electronic devices.  

How can I help my child if they have insomnia?

One of the best things to do is evaluate your child’s sleep schedule.  Keep track of what time they’re going to bed and waking up during the week and weekend.  Make sure they’re using their time well and going to bed as close to bedtime as possible.  Ideally they would go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.

Check their sleeping environment.  Make sure the mattress, pillows, and sheets are comfortable enough for relaxation.  A bed should only be used for sleep if at all possible; this helps train their body that being on the bed equals sleep.  Check that the room temperature isn’t too hot or cold.  It can be nice to sleep with a pet, but pets-and siblings-can interrupt sleep.  Ideally there would be no TV, computer, or other electronic device in the room.  Not only does the light and mental stimulation affect sleep, but their presence takes away from teaching the brain and body that the bed and bedroom means sleeping.  Try to keep the room quiet enough for sleep.

If the insomnia is continuing past a few days, you may want to check with your pediatrician.  A good discussion with you and your child, followed by a physical exam can help them determine if there is a possible medical cause for the insomnia.  Make sure to tell your pediatrician about all the medicines or supplements as well as other drugs your child takes, including caffeine, as these can affect sleep, too.  Your pediatrician may order a sleep study or other tests if they suspect sleep disorders or other medical issues.  They can also help you with lifestyle changes or medicines, if needed.

Lifestyle changes include things like making sure your child has a set schedule and making sure they get as close to 8-10 hours of sleep a night as possible.  Make sure any naps taken are short, and no later than the early afternoon.  General stress reduction things like exercise, meditation, and breathing exercises can be easily found online.  A nighttime bedtime routine is not just for babies.  Slowing down a half hour or so before bed, light stretching or stress reduction exercises, perhaps a soothing bath, or maybe listening to a story or white noise from one of the many apps available can help lead to a successful night’s sleep.    

There are medications available for sleep.  A lot of the prescription medications, and some of the over the counter ones can become habit forming, so pediatricians try not to use them long term.  Melatonin can be used longer than a few days, but should still be stopped in a few months to see how the sleep is without medication.  

Light therapy has also been suggested for some causes of insomnia.  If done early in the morning it may help a child’s internal clock shift back to allow for going to bed and waking up earlier.  

Bottom line.  

Short bouts of insomnia happen to almost everyone.  Chronic insomnia happens to almost 25% of adolescents.  If your child is one of those who has it, there are ways to try to make it better.

Links.

Sleep tips for your family at healthychildren.org

Stress management at healthychildren.org

Relaxation exercises for sleep

Insomnia at sleep foundation.org

Light therapy at sleep foundation.org