By Savannah Vaughan
During youth and adolescence, our brains are constantly changing. Sleep is a crucial part of this development, and without it, youth are more likely to experience negative psychological symptoms and perform worse in school. A survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that 93% of Gen Z admit to having stayed up too late because of social media. Regular notifications and frequent viewing of short-form content can make it difficult for teens to put their phones down and get a restful night’s sleep.
As teens reach puberty, they experience a natural shift in their circadian rhythms called sleep-phase delay. This causes them to have a natural inclination towards falling asleep and waking up later; however, teens at this age still require about 9 hours of sleep per night. Early school wake-up times ask that teens go to bed early, but their biological clocks, especially when paired with external stimuli like viewing social media while in bed, make it difficult for teens to get the desired amount of sleep each night. It is common for school-aged youth to limit sleep duration during the school week by going to bed late and waking up early for class, and then sleeping in during the weekends. This further hurts teen’s sleep schedules by making early rising during the week increasingly more difficult and unsustainable.
Smartphone use while in bed is associated with poorer sleep quality, especially when the apps used require user interaction, like social media. Poor sleep can make regulating emotions difficult and increase teens’ risk for negative psychological outcomes, like depression, stress, and anxiety. Poor sleep is also associated with teen impulsivity, which is already heightened due to an underdeveloped frontal lobe. This can lead to dangerous or irresponsible behavior in adolescents. In addition, a lack of high-quality sleep can contribute to poorer performance in school and extra-curriculars. Limiting the use of social media around bedtime can positively impact teen’s sleep quality and improve their overall wellbeing.
What can you do?
It can be difficult to set boundaries around technology and social media. Try one or more of these techniques to promote healthy sleeping habits:
- Build a night-time routine with elements like taking a hot shower, journaling, or light stretching.
- Stay off screens for an hour before bed. Try finding an alternate activity, like drawing or reading, to wind down.
- Leave your phone outside your bedroom at night and use a physical alarm clock to wake up in the mornings.
- Build a calm environment in the evenings, with dim lights and decreased stimulation.
- Feeling overwhelmed with school and extracurriculars can cause you to stay up late winding down on social media. Consider what aspects of your daily life are benefiting you, and try letting go of commitments that are causing unnecessary stress.
- Limit excessive amounts of sleeping in on the weekends, as it can negatively impact your sleep schedule and make waking up early during the weekdays more difficult.
More information
10 Tips to help your teen sleep better
Scrolling Past Bedtime: How Social Media Disrupts Sleep in Kids and Teens
