What is WRONG with me? I JUST CAN'T SLEEP!

ASK LORI AND LIANE, September 2009, by Lori Clemente

What is WRONG with me?
I JUST CAN'T SLEEP!

Dear Lori,
I can't sleep! Every night I'm up so late, so I read, I make snacks and watch TV (quietly!), and sometimes I draw. But nothing seems to work. Then in the morning I HATE getting up. Is there something wrong with my hormones?
~ Wide Awake Annie, Windsor, ON

Dear Wide Awake Annie,
Trouble with sleep can be a real problem! It can affect your mood making you irritable, cranky, spacey, anxious, and even depressed. It can also affect your memory and concentration. But mostly it makes you really tired!

There are many, many reasons for having difficulty sleeping. One of the most common reasons for not sleeping well is having lots on your mind like stress about school, friends, boyfriends, parents or jobs can affect your sleep even if you don't think about it much during the day. This is probably the most common reason for not sleeping well. Sleep problems can come in the form of having trouble falling asleep, waking early, waking up for brief periods all night, and sleeping so lightly or poorly that you wake up not feeling rested.

Teenagers just naturally want to stay up later... past midnight and sometimes even until 2 or 3 am. Then they sleep in late just to get enough rest, often until or past noon just to get enough sleep. I'll bet many of your friends do the exact same thing as you. This is a normal part of being a teenager, but the problem with this situation is that a big part of normal life happens early in the day. School and jobs start in the morning, just when you’re right into a good sound sleep. Your parents may also be frustrated that you sleep in so late and aren't a part of the morning routine with the rest of the family. Often times this normal teenage pattern is mistaken for laziness.

So, what is there to do? I tell any person with trouble sleeping to develop a bedtime routine just like when they were younger. A couple of hours before bed, start winding down by reading, taking a bath, and maybe having a light healthy snack. Warm milk or chamomile tea can help you get relaxed and sleepy. Turn off the TV or any kind of video or computer. The lights and sounds of electronics can be over-stimulating. Reading and listening to relaxing music are good activities to try. Ear plugs or white noise machines are helpful to some people who are sensitive to sounds as they are falling asleep. When you get into bed try some relaxation techniques. For example, starting from your toes, tense them for 10 seconds then relax them, move to your feet, legs, thighs, and tummy...until you reach your head. If after a bit you aren't asleep get up out of bed and do some other relaxing things. Lying in bed awake will only make you frustrated. Sometimes sleeping in places other than your bed can help you relax and fall asleep, like a couch, or even the floor.

If you are experiencing something different than what I have described, or you are really getting upset by it and feeling unwell, discuss it with a parent, friend, teacher or your doctor or nurse practitioner, just to make sure nothing else is causing it.

Be strong!
~ Lori