How to Get Teen Sleep on Track with Dr. Cara Ooi

Episode Summary

In this episode, I’m joined by sleep physician and youth psychiatrist Dr. Cara Ooi. Dr. Ooi is going to clue us in to why the teen years are a perfect storm for insomnia, the most common mistakes parents make when trying to get their teen’s sleep back on track and the three things we can do instead.  

Key Takeaways

• The teen years create the perfect storm for insomnia. There is a natural delay in their body clock, which makes it difficult for them to fall asleep; they aren’t coping well with stress, which makes it challenging to unwind at night; they spend a lot of time hanging out on their beds, which creates an association with an awake alert state.
• Common mistake #1: Insisting teens get to bed too early. Their bodies aren't ready for sleep until 12 or one. If their bedtime is before that, they end up spending 2-3 hours in bed not sleeping. This can snowball into more anxiety and frustration and strengthens a negative association with their bed, which makes it even more difficult to sleep. 
• Common mistake #2: Don’t start by taking screens away. This creates conflict right before bed, which disrupts sleep more than the screens do. It also erodes connection, which means they’ll dig their heels in more.
• Common mistake #3: Trying to convince them by telling them the benefits of sleep. This tends to be counterproductive
• Tips to reset your teen’s sleep:
  • Delay their bedtime to better match up with when they are actually sleepy, to retrain their association with their bed to being in calm, sleepy state and good sleep.
  • Create a cozy nook. A place that is separate from their bed but provides the same comfort and privacy. This can be a fun project to do together. 
  • Create a sleep kit to put next to their bed so they don’t default to staring at their phone if they wake up. Can include notebook and pen, book or magazine, coloring book.
  • Minimize the amount of light in the room as much as possible. The darker the better.
  • Meet your teen where they’re at. Find a reason to get better sleep that is important to them. For example, if they love video games, better sleep can improve their reaction time.  
  • If you want to reset their sleep schedule, make small incremental changes to give their body the opportunity to adjust.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Learn more about Dr. Ooi on her website and snag her free resources: The Parent’s Jumpstart Guide to Help Your Teen Sleep Better and I'm Exhausted but I Can't Sleep Webinar

• Tune into her podcast series: Find the Eight
• You can also connect with Dr. Ooi on Instagram + Tik Tok @decodeinsomnia
• I’d love to hear from you too! Send me a message on Facebook or Instagram.

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