The importance of sleep - let's start the term well!

Getting enough sleep each night is vital for our physical and mental well-being, it allows the body and brain time to develop and helps our youth to face the busyness and challenges of everyday life. Having enough sleep will help have positive effects across all areas of their lives, including helping to regulate their emotions and mood, assist in strengthening their immune system and regulating their appetite, enhancing memory and concentration which overall will help them to feel refreshed and energised.

When youth reach adolescence their sleep patterns change, often shifting towards later times for both sleeping and waking. However, teens still need about 8 to 10 hours sleep each night to function at their best. Trying to keep a fairly regular sleep pattern with a regular bed time and waking time will help achieve this. Brightly lit screens are often used for downtime before bed, however they can delay the release of sleep-inducing melatonin, increase alertness, and reset the body’s internal clock to a later schedule.

Therefore, it is important to create healthy sleep habits to avoid overstimulation and give the mind and body time to unwind and find a sense of calm before bedtime. There are many mindfulness exercises and apps that can help with this. Also, practical tips such as turning off screens, taking some time to relax, reading a book, or having a hot shower before bed can all assist in setting you up for a good night’s sleep.

For more information and practical tips on sleep, click on the link:
https://thelowdown.co.nz/behaviours/sleep-better