DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My 14-year-old daughter goes to bed each night around 10 p.m. Some nights she complains that she cannot fall asleep until hours later. Although she wakes up and says she isn't tired, she does sleep in on weekends. I'm concerned about insomnia, but I'm also worried it's affecting her ability to concentrate in school. What advice do you have?
ANSWER: Lots of children your daughter's age have trouble falling asleep easily at night. Though one might say your daughter has bouts of insomnia, in many cases, the reason for sleep challenges can be traced back to habits a child has developed that interfere with good sleep. Less often, it may be due to a sleep disorder.
Unfortunately, many teens don't get the sleep they need. To be well-rested and to help them stay healthy, teenagers need about eight to 10 hours of sleep each night. Healthy sleep is important for many reasons. It can fight stress, improve mood and attitude, and provide energy. When teens are well-rested, they can concentrate, learn, listen and think better than when they're tired. That can improve school participation and performance. Healthy sleep also contributes to a healthy body, helping it run the way it should.
