75% of adolescents lack hours of sleep. We do not say it, but A study published in the "Behavioral Sleep Medicine", and that the National Hospital Jewish Health of Denver, demonstrated following the habits of rest among adolescents who received their education at home, in comparison with those who attend the institute daily.
The fact of seeing our young people fall asleep in the classroom or being scarcely receptive to the classes they receive in the early hours of the morning, makes us think almost instinctively that adolescents are apathetic, lazy or that surely, they have passed the night with the computer. It is not true, and therefore, from "Mothers Today" We invite you to take into account this essential information to promote the correct development of our adolescents.
Teens need more sleep
It may surprise you, but according to a study carried out in the University of Oxford, classes should start at 10 in the morning. You will see it perhaps "somewhat exaggerated", but that would actually be the natural schedule with which teens could be more responsive and more productive academically.
Adolescence and the «Sdelayed sleep phase syndrome«
The adolescent is not only forced to reconstruct his identity, to clarify his emotions, to fight for their spaces, for their self-esteem ... Inside it, a whole dance of neurotransmitters and hormones takes place that will allow it to mature., to adjust processes and cycles that we, as mothers and fathers, «escape».
- During adolescence, the circadian rhythm of the young person's body is later readjusted. This is because their brains secrete melatonin an hour later than in a mature adult brain.
- Melatonin is a brain hormone that acts directly on the pineal gland and regulates our sleep-wake cycles. While in the adult brain it begins to segregate in the early hours of the night, in our youngsters it appears later.
This is what is known as "delayed sleep phase syndrome." We must bear in mind that if the "natural" fact that they fall asleep later is also added to the mobile use of their mobile in bed, their sleep cycle is even more affected.
If I sleep little I have no energy and I wake up in a bad mood
It is not a whim. If the adolescent comes to class apathetically and in a bad mood, it is not by choice or by will. We must understand that once they go to bed, it can take between an hour and two to fall asleep. If they also have to get up at 7 in the morning, that means sleeping much less than they need: between 9 and 10 hours a day.
- Another factor to take into account is that the lack of a deep and restful rest will in turn cause their brains to have a lower contribution of cortisol.
- Cortisol at a balanced and fair level gives us enough energy to face the day with courage and energy. If we have a deficit in this hormone, the children will be very tired and listless.
- All this has a negative impact on their learning: lack of attention, inability to establish new knowledge and low school motivation in general.
The need to readjust school hours
If the school's purpose is to establish knowledge, values and strategies, we need receptive minds and motivated brains above all.. An adolescent who comes to the classroom tired and in a bad mood will not only perform below his or her possibilities, but will also "infect" the rest with his attitude.
We know that it is not easy to get institutions such as educational ones to become aware of the need to change their schedules. Only if they had their start at 10 in the morning, we would undoubtedly have much more active students.
- Knowing the neurobiology of our adolescents allows us to better understand their behaviors. Rather than sanctioning their sloppiness, you need to understand their cycles, their internal processes, and act as mediators.
- Control your children's sleep hygiene as much as you can. It is necessary that they always go to bed at the same time and that they unplug their electronic devices two hours before going to bed. Offer them a book, there is nothing better than allowing sleep to come little by little between the pages of a novel than on a mobile screen.
Do not hesitate to inform your children of this information, that way they will better understand many of those things that happen to them. Worth it.