Insomnia cures for teenagers plus#

Personally, my kids do use screens for video chats with faraway friends, an online book club, educational games, and the occasional movie, so I look for other ways to block the blue. One way to do that is to reduce screen time. In other words, they absorb more blue light than adults do when exposed to light emitting devices, so it’s important to protect against excessive exposure. It doesn’t fully develop until around age 14-15, and children’s eyes have larger pupils, too. The reason kids are so impacted by blue light is that crystalline lens of the eye – aka the part the helps us focus – is more transparent in children. With their brains, sleep patterns and even eyes still developing, children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the sleep-disrupting effects of screen time, according to a sweeping review of the literature published today in the journal Pediatrics.” (3) (We’re talking an increased risk of cancer, impaired immune function, obesity and heart disease.)īlocking the blue is especially important for kids because their eyes are more vulnerable to the negative effects of blue light on sleep: Exposure to blue light after sundown can suppress the release of melatonin, which is the hormone that tells our body it’s almost time for bed.īut that’s not all it does – melatonin is vital for health, and low levels can cause more problems than just a rough night’s sleep. Block The Blue ^Ĭomputer screens, T.V.’s, and phones emit blue light, which the body perceives like sunlight.

Insomnia cures for teenagers plus#

Here’s how they work, plus my favorite options for kids. Research shows that weighted blankets improve sleep quality, reduce stress, improve daytime focus and mood, and ease symptoms associated with sensory processing disorder. If you’ve read my 23 Science-Backed Sleep Tips, you’re already well on your way to helping your entire family get deeper sleep, but here are some suggestions that are tailored just for kids. Kids who get deep, uninterrupted sleep tend to be more creative, focused, agreeable, able to solve problems, and more, so making it a priority has huge benefits. Meanwhile, the Journal of Sleep & Sleep Disorders Research states that “Abnormalities in sleep quantity, sleep quality, circadian alignment, and melatonin regulation increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.” 10 Ways To Help Your Child Get A Good Night’s Sleep ^ (1) Increased Risk Of Obesity And Diabetes ^Īccording to a study published in the journal Pediatrics, “Children who get less sleep in infancy and early childhood may be at greater risk of being overweight or obese during mid-childhood.” This is likely due to the way poor sleep disrupts the production of two appetite regulating hormones – ghrelin and leptin. Lack of sleep directly affects children’s ability to regulate their emotions, which can lead to moodiness, irritability, impulsivity, meltdowns, and increased overall stress. Newer research also suggests that it may interfere with a process we are just learning about, which is that the brain appears to flush out toxins while we sleep.

The drugs used to treat A.D.H.D., like Ritalin, Adderall or Concerta, can cause insomnia.” Impaired Immune Function ^Īccording to this study, inadequate sleep increases inflammation markers in our bodies and lowers immune function. can exacerbate sleeplessness, the real problem. Not only is a misdiagnosis stigmatizing, but treatment of A.D.H.D. Sleep experts note that children who lose as little as half an hour of needed sleep per night - whether because of a sleep disorder or just staying up too late texting or playing video games - can exhibit behaviors typical of A.D.H.D.

In fact, according to this New York Times article:

Rather than walking around like zombies – or mombies, in our case – sleep deprived children often become hyperactive. And that’s a problem, because blue light exposure from screens (which have a stronger biological impact on young developing eyes) and other factors are seriously affecting children’s sleep, resulting in problems like: ADHD-Like Symptoms ^ When kids are struggling, though, it can look different than we might expect. Visit your friendly neighborhood pediatric chiropractor

10 Ways To Help Your Child Get A Good Night’s Sleep.