Why Does My Teenager Sleep All day?
First of all, you are not alone. It seems like a rite of passage for every adolescent after puberty to gradually stay up later and wake up earlier, but is this truly normal? By the strictest definition, it is not, but it certainly is common. More than likely your teenager is a victim of Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS).
What is DSPS? The easiest way to explain it is to first begin with the concept of a circadian rhythm. Everyone has a circadian rhythm that tells our body when to sleep, when to wake, when certain hormones should be released, etc. There are several items that regulate this rhythm, and to an extent this varies a little from person to person. For instance, our behaviors regulate our circadian rhythm by when we eat and perform activities. Going to bed is even a behavior that tells our nervous system we are ready to sleep.
In addition, the most powerful trigger to set our circadian rhythm is bright light. Light tends to “push” our sleep clock away from it. So, if you are exposed to bright light at 8 PM, your sleep schedule will be pushed later in the night. Melatonin, one of our body’s natural hormones, does the opposite. Melatonin “pulls” sleep toward it. Taking Melatonin at 8pm would make you more likely to fall asleep at 9-10pm. These are simplistic explanations, but you get the gist.
So what does this have to do with DSPS? For reasons that are not well defined, many teenager are prone to having their sleep schedule shift forward, or having it “delayed.” In other words, they may go to bed at 10PM but they cannot fall asleep until 2AM! Regardless, the school bus arrives early the next morning, and they have to go to school…sleep deprived. Being that they are youthful and have a robust nervous system, they persevere through the day. By the time night comes, the same thing happens all over again. The biggest problem is usually morning school performance.
Overall, all teenagers usually grow out of this pattern, but what should you do in the meantime? It has been demonstrated that teenagers that grow up in a disorganized household with loose schedules are more at risk for DSPS. The following are the key steps to alleviate delayed sleep phase syndrome:
• Adhere to a strict schedule going to bed and awakening at the same time EVERY DAY
• First set the wakeup time to the desired time (ie. 7AM)
• Use bright sunlight immediately after awakening to help “push” the sleep schedule back
• Have your teenager go to bed closer to their actual falling asleep time
• Avoid any naps during the day
• Avoid any caffeinated beverages in the evening or stimulating activities
• Gradually move the bed time/sleep time back until close to the desired bedtime
If this fails after 4-6 weeks of strict adherence, then professional consultation may be needed. Usually the above method will accomplish a great deal usually achieving 90 percent or more of the desired sleep quantity at night. Once successful, however, it is necessary to keep this schedule every day. The same tendency still exists, and loosening the sleep schedule will simply put them back into the same situation.
The important key is to be disciplined and consistent. These factors help keep one’s circadian rhythm in check.
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