How many hours of sleep do we need?

Being tired is often a common complaint from many people, including our children and youth. Sometimes there are medical reasons that we feel tired, but most often it is because we do not get enough sleep at night. Children under the age of ten need 10-12 hours of sleep. Teens need between 9 to 10 hours of sleep each night to function at their best during the day while adults need about 7 hours of sleep.. Children and youth need more sleep than adults because their bodies are changing very quickly as they grow and develop.

Side effects of not getting enough sleep affect our well-being in certain ways such as:

• Moodiness
• Irritability
• Decision making abilities are affected                                                 
• Decreased motivation, concentration and memory
• Poor performance at school
• Decreased reaction times, which can increase risk of injury
• Depression      

You can help children and youth get enough sleep by:

• Schedule activities and programs later in the day
• Set rules for bedtimes and adhere to them and this will become a healthy habit later on in life
• Focus on the positive when setting a routine for going to sleep and waking up
• Turn the TV and computer off one to two hours before bed
• Turn cell phones off or set to silent when going to bed- it is best to have all phones plugged in by a certain time of night and not in the bedroom
• Make a joint agreement that there is no technology in their room
• Keep the same sleep schedule on the weekends
• Avoid products with caffeine

For more information on sleep and wellbeing contact the Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead at 519-627-6762 ext. 10291