Help: My teenager is exhausted all the time

Teenagers sleeping for many hours and waking late is not a new phenomenon, far from it.  Think back to your own teen years and you can probably remember those long lie ins. But sometimes there is a reason to be concerned, there are times when teenagers sleep too much.  It can be hard to know when to ask for help if your teenager is exhausted all the time.  It can be hard to know what is a normal sleep pattern for a teenager.

As a teen I was very tired all the time but I was also poorly. I was eventually diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome but I was dismissed by many before diagnosis.  No matter how many times my parents said Help: my teenager is exhausted all the time As a result I am very aware of monitoring my own teenagers and their sleep patterns. Teenagers often need more sleep when they are growing. Growth slows down / stops for most girls at age 16 and for boys age 18 but they will have spurts at different ages.  My son hit puberty hard and fast and needed more sleep as a result.  You can read about my honest thoughts on having a man child and how surprised I was that he needed to shave before becoming 13.

If Your Teenager is Constantly Tired Try To Eliminate Why

• A bed mattress should be changed every eight years.  It makes sense really when you consider how much time is spent in bed.  A good mattress can be key to getting a good nights sleep. Chloe has hypermobility and therefore we opted for a memory foam mattress. There are many reasons to choose a double memory foam mattress: it can relieve discomfort in the body, provide superior restful sleep for those who sometimes struggle to get comfortable, and it is also ideal for allergy sufferers. Sloane & Sons double memory foam mattress is a great choice for a cosy, supported and supremely luxurious night’s sleep.

• Eat well, a poor diet can lead to being deficient in some of the essential vitamins and minerals needed for a good night’s sleep. Teenagers are well known for their love of junk food and are often eating out with friends. Teenagers can often be borderline anemic too because of growth spurts.  We use Spatone Iron+  as supplement as you can just drink it.  It is much gentler on the stomach than iron tablets and everyone just has a sachet with breakfast.  I recommend Spatone to everyone that is anemic! I first discovered it when I was pregnant and was struggling with iron tablets.
• Exercise, it can be really hard to exercise when tired but it really does help.  Even a walk will help.  When I was poorly  I was encouraged to continue with gentle exercise because the benefits are huge.

• Artificial light has disrupted sleep patterns.  Using technology also keeps teenagers awake.  Mobiles and ipads disrupt sleep and the regular interruptions add up.  There is more pressure to be online frequently and constantly and this disrupts sleep.  Encourage teenagers to switch off and put the tech away from their bed so they are not tempted to keep checking in.
• Pressure from school.  It is my belief that generation z work hard at school but this adds to anxiety and exam pressure.  This could be causing a lack of restful sleep.  Keep talking and encourage down time and hobbies to relieve the pressure. If things do get too much then consider a therapist as someone else to talk teenage life through.
• Monitor teenagers sleep, if they are suddenly more exhausted they could have glandular fever or a similar virus to a check up with the GP is required. Depression and chronic fatigue syndrome are all on the increase with teenagers so don’t think it won’t happen to your teenager.  I taught many students in sixth form who had mental health issues. Finding a therapist to talk thorugh things can be really beneficial if issues are ongoing.
• Likewise if the sleeping and tiredness does not ease up after a few months it is worth checking in with GP. Simple blood tests could be offered to see if anything medical shows up.

The best advice we can give is talk to your teenager. Ask how they feel and watch and note how much they sleep.  Sleep is a very normal part of growing and teenagers need sleep.  However if they never appear restful then do tell the GP that you need help my teenager is exhausted all the time.

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