Insomnia is a common sleep disorder. It is experienced by anyone especially when there factors to consider such as lifestyle, stress, diet, and others. Adults usually complain about insomnia but teenagers are very prone to this sleep disorder as well.

Teens are known for having almost a bottomless supply of energy throughout the day. During this developmental stage, the sugar in their diet is the main culprit as to why teenagers do not get the proper sleep that their growing bodies need. Another factor to consider is the very fast metabolism that teenagers have at this stage. They are really likely to have trouble sleeping because of the changes that are influenced by the increased rate of nutrient breakdown. Hormonal fluctuations and energy-packed activities (mental and physical) are also known to play a part in their lack of sleep. Some parents get too concerned about their teens’ inadequate sleep patterns that is why they immediately resort to sleeping pills. Remember the side effects that these synthetic medications give as well. To be on the safe side, scope out these natural sleep aids for teenagers that you could discuss with your doctor:

1. Diet

Having a healthy, low sugar and low caffeine diet is part of the natural sleep aids for teenagers. It is natural for teens to resort to chocolate bars and sodas because they are cheap, quick, sweet, delicious, and loaded with energy. If there are times when a teen skips a meal, there are some chocolate bars that are promoted as hunger busters. With this, teens quickly search for candy to ease hunger pangs and cravings throughout the day. By the time they get home and prepare for bed, they usually still have much energy to burn. This is why they stay up late and have a hard time waking up the next day. Just try and eliminate of drastically lessen the amount of sugar and caffeine in your teen’s diet. This way, the body could get drained properly in time for proper resting periods.

 

 

2. Routine

When a child becomes a teenager, sleep schedule should still be maintained. This is one of the natural sleep aids for teenagers that every parent should remember. It is not a license for your child to sleep later or at wee hours in the morning just because they have more things to do. They should keep in mind that they should conserve their energy more by sleeping reasonably early (nine or ten in the evening) so that they may have the energy to do all that they have to do at school. Any fluctuation in sleep routines will definitely lead to insomnia.

 

 

3. Exercise

It is true that teenagers are very energetic and are usually always on-the-go. One of the best natural sleep aids for teenagers is to drain all that excess energy that they have through regular exercise, apart from their daily activities. This way, by the time they go to bed, they will really get into sleep mode.

 

 

 

4. Relaxation

Teenagers have their own share of everyday stress. They try to fit in, be active, and excel at school. Most of the time, they feel and think that the demands on them are too overwhelming already that they get anxious and uneasy. This leaves them awake most of the night. As a solution, relaxation should be implemented as one of natural sleep aids for teenagers. This way, they will have a more stable thinking pattern and will sleep when it is time for them to.

 

 

 

5. Warm bath

A warm bath is also a recommendation in the list of natural sleep aids for teenagers. The entire process of bathing in warm water completely relaxes the body and fully oxygenizes every area including the brain. When this happens, everything functions optimally and sleep is gained much faster.

 

 

 

6. Sleeping comfort

Of course, you should remember that a comfortable place to sleep should be one of the natural sleep aids for teenagers. The bed and the room’s ambiance should be suitable for the teen’s sleeping needs. Pillows should be soft and should not give strains on the neck and back. The mattress should not be too soft or too hard. The sheets should always be clean or at best, hypoallergenic. The temperature should just be right. A cooler room is needed for a good night’s rest.

 

 

7. Water

Water is one of the natural sleep aids for teenagers because this helps get rid of the toxins that a typical teen’s body has. This may be quite difficult to implement because of the flavor preference at this stage of development but you should at least encourage and teach by example.

 

 

 

 

8. Massage

Have your teen get a massage once or twice in a week so that the muscles may be worked up. This is one of the best natural sleep aids for teenagers especially if it is done in the privacy of your home. Once the massage is over, the body usually gets so relaxed that the teen tends to sleep.

 

 

 

 

Talk to your doctor about the given natural sleep aids for teenagers so that you may find our what would best work for your teen. Of course, see to it that your teen cooperates well because the effectiveness of these methods depends on the participation of the individual.