It’s common for your child or teen to start struggling with sleep. Often parents find their adolescent (which is typically between 11-22 years of age but we see it as young as 8 years old) take longer to get to bed. Perhaps it’s taking them longer to fall asleep or suddenly they are showing bouts of anxiety and fear about going to bed alone. At this age, adequate sleep is necessary as children are growing, becoming increasingly active in school and after-school activities, and need well rested minds and bodies to strengthen their cognitive ability, memory, alertness, and overall mood and behaviour for school and learning. Children at this age suddenly start to sleep less even though their bodies still need the same amount of sleep.
I share why our older kids are struggling with sleep and what steps you can take to help them sleep better, including what to include at bedtime and the tech we want to encourage in the bedroom!
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Alanna McGinn is a Certified Sleep Consultant and Founder of Good Night Sleep Site – a Global Pediatric and Family Sleep Team. She provides free child and family sleep support through her Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. She invites you to join her sleep community as she works towards Good Night Sleep Site’s mission of a healthier rested family unit. For more sleep tips please visit Good Night Sleep Site. Join our movement and #BringBackBedtime.
