Sleep problems among adolescents.
Often times teenagers do not get proper and regular sleep even if they would like to. After having a few sleepless nights, they can end up having a sleep deficit, this can cause your children to have emotional issues and they could also find it hard to study from lack of concentration.
Sleep problems among adolescents are much more common in comparison to adults and younger children because of several reasons. Some doctors will tell you that a teenager's biological clock alters during adolescence, which makes it more difficult for teenager's to fall asleep and wake up early and refreshed the next morning. The changes to a teenager's body are created by the brain hormone called "melatonin" that is produced by a teenager later at night in adolescents, this makes it difficult teens to sleep properly. This sleep disorder is known as "delayed sleep phase syndrome", which affects very many teens. Other causes of sleep problems among adolescents include stress, drugs, physical discomforts or poor sleeping environment.
5 sleep problems that can disrupt your teenager's sleep:
- Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) this happens when your leg and arm movements disturbs sleep, making your teenager's bad tempered and tired from lack of sleep. With this complaint, the teenager is unaware that they are moving their arms or legs whilst sleeping.
- The condition called Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is a similar condition to PLMD, except there is a added feeling of tingling, burning, cramping or itching in their limbs. This sleep disorder can only be helped by moving the arms and legs. Although, doctors can also treat people suffering from PLMD or RLS with proper medication.
- Sleep apnea is another common sleep problem. With this complaint, the victim suddenly stops breathing when they are asleep. Some things that cause sleep apnea are, enlarged tonsils, obesity, or swollen adenoids. When your teenager has this sleep disorder, they will probably snore, find it difficult to breath and maybe sweat during sleep.
- Teenager's do not often experience nightmares, however, when they do, these nightmares can definitely disturb a teen's sleep. Insomnia, stress, anxiety and other emotional issues, drugs, alcohol, medication and lack of sleep can cause nightmares. A counselor, doctor, or therapist, help to treat frequent nightmares.
- Adolescents don't often suffer from sleepwalking. this can be caused by a fever or even lack of sleep. Also, these types of sleep problems can often run in your family, and if this is the case, try not to worry because sleepwalking is not harmful. All you have to do is help the sleepwalker back to bed.
Sleep problems among adolescents can be treated easily with correct medication and help. Although, if the problem persists for any length of time, you should get medical help, immediately.
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