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How to sleep well for teenagers

A picture of a sleeping child. Words say: everything you need to know about teenage sleep and why adults might have the wrong idea about your sleep.

A good sleep routine is really important for health and wellbeing. As a teenager, your sleep will change due to developments in your brain and body. You may need to adjust your habits to get a good night’s sleep.

Everything you need to know about teenage sleep is here, including:

  • what sleep is
  • what a ‘typical’ night’s sleep looks like for you
  • tips to help you sleep better.

We’ll also explain why adults often have the wrong idea about your sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of the advice given works best in combination. The more you manage to do, the better your sleep is likely to become over time.

Your sleep can be affected by lots of factors. There are no quick fixes, but understanding how sleep works for you can really help. Making small, consistent changes to your sleep routine and habits can make a big difference.

If you have any worries about your sleep that we have not covered here, talk to your family doctor.

Sleeping well as a teenager can be tricky, especially when so many parents, teachers and doctors often don’t understand how teenage sleep really works. Getting your sleep right can make a big difference to your overall health and wellbeing. Psychologists, doctors and sleep scientists from Evelina London are here to help everyone understand teenage sleep better – and to try to give everyone as good a night’s sleep as possible, every night!

This advice was originally created as part of our Adolescent Health Packs at Evelina London, to support young people admitted to our hospital and outpatients services.