On Adolescents and Sleep

A Critical Foundation for Success

As students transition into secondary school, they face new academic and social challenges. One of the most critical factors in supporting their success during this period is ensuring they get enough sleep. Sleep is essential for brain function, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.

The Science Behind Sleep and Academic Performance

Research consistently shows that adequate sleep is fundamental to academic success. During sleep, the brain consolidates memories, processes information, and restores energy for the day ahead. It plays a key role in learning, memory, and emotional balance. Sleep expert Dr Matt Walker states that teenagers need more sleep than adults (around 8 to 10 hours per night) due to the demands of their rapidly developing brains and bodies. However, research shows that most adolescents fall short, often getting only 6 to 7 hours, which leads to a sleep debt that can impair cognitive performance, memory, and emotional regulation.

The Role of Technology in Sleep Disruption

A significant factor contributing to sleep deprivation among students is the use of technology, particularly in the bedroom. Research has shown that the blue light emitted by phones, tablets, and computers interferes with the production of melatonin, a hormone responsible for regulating sleep. This disruption can make it more difficult for students to fall asleep and get restful, uninterrupted sleep.

To promote better sleep habits, it is essential that students avoid using technology in their bedrooms at bedtime. Encouraging students to leave their devices outside the bedroom or implement a technology curfew helps to eliminate distractions and ensures they are not exposed to harmful blue light. Instead, creating a calming bedtime routine that encourages relaxation, such as reading a book, having a shower, or listening to soft music, can help signal to the brain that it’s time to wind down for the night.

What Else Helps?

Dr Matt Walker offers the following tips to help adolescents get the sleep they need to feel focused, calm, and healthy:

1. Stick to a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, helps train the body’s internal clock. This regularity makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.

2. Keep it Cool
A cool bedroom, around 18°C, supports the drop in body temperature that naturally happens during sleep. Avoid heavy blankets or stuffy rooms.

3. Dim the Lights Before Bed
Keep lighting soft in the evening to help your brain recognise it's time to wind down.

4. Avoid Screens Before Sleep
This one is critical. Using phones, tablets, or laptops in the hour before bed sends mixed signals to your brain. The blue light from screens tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, blocking melatonin production and making it harder to fall asleep. Even more, what you're doing on the screen (scrolling social media, watching intense videos, replying to messages) stimulates the brain and keeps it alert just when it should be winding down.
Turning off screens at least an hour before sleep is one of the most powerful ways to improve sleep quality. Try charging devices outside the bedroom, using an old-fashioned alarm clock, and replacing screen time with calming activities instead.

5. Cut Back on Caffeine and Energy Drinks
Caffeine stays in the system for hours. That afternoon energy drink, fizzy soda, or strong tea may still be affecting your brain when it’s time for sleep. Be mindful of hidden sources of caffeine and try to avoid them after lunchtime.

6. Don’t Lie Awake in Bed
If you can’t fall asleep after 20 to 30 minutes, get up and do something relaxing in dim light. Return to bed when sleepy. This helps the brain associate bed with sleep, not stress or worry.

7. Build a Bedtime Routine
Whether it’s stretching, reading, listening to music or taking a warm shower, a relaxing nightly routine helps signal to the brain that sleep is coming soon.

8. Get Morning Sunlight
Light exposure early in the day, especially natural blue light from the morning sun, is essential to reset your body’s internal clock. It helps suppress melatonin and boost alertness, setting the rhythm for the day. Getting outside in the morning, even just for 10 to 15 minutes, can improve energy, mood, and sleep quality.

9. Prioritise sleep
Sleep is not a luxury. It’s a foundation for physical health, emotional balance, learning, and memory. Aim for 8 to 10 hours per night, and remember that good sleep supports every part of life.

Try choosing one thing you can change this week to help you sleep better — like turning off screens earlier or going to bed at the same time every night.

How does sleep (or lack of it) affect how you feel, think, and connect with others?

What do you notice about yourself on days when you’ve had a really good sleep?

And finally, what’s one small change you could make tonight to get better sleep?