Sleep problems

If you’re having problems with sleeping, you’re not alone. Most of us do at some point, and for lots of different reasons.

Whether you’re at primary school, a teenager or beyond, you may find yourself waking up in the night, or having difficulty getting to sleep in the first place.

You may be anxious or worried - about being alone, the dark, or imaginary scary monsters and ghosts. You might feel you want someone there with you as drop off to sleep or if you wake in the night.

Worries or anxieties can also be about:

• friendships or bullying
• school work
• family relationships
• divorce or separation
• changes in routine such as a new school or moving house

Dreams help us process what is going on in our lives, including any fears and worries. These may manifest themselves as nightmares and are usually nothing to worry about. It helps to talk about bad dreams (or even draw them) to identify what may be causing them. Causes of nightmares could be as simple as something scary you saw in a film to more serious things such as bullying or someone hurting you.

These are more upsetting for parents or carers, as the person seems to be wide awake and terrified of something, but is asleep, and usually doesn’t remember them. They may reflect worries about something stressful going on at the moment, or they may not. Night terrors are a phase that often passes quite quickly. 

Bedwetting can cause young people to wake up in the night. This might have a physical cause or be linked to worries and anxiety. Talk to your GP who can advise you about getting help

If you tend to push boundaries and stay up late watching TV, gaming or staring at your phone or tablet screen, this may alter your sleep patterns.

It’s not uncommon for teenagers to reverse their sleeping patterns, staying awake late into the night and then feeling sleepy during the day.

This can interfere with school work and home life, and cause stress with parents. Have some screen-free wind-down time (reading a real book is ideal) before going to bed at a reasonable time each night.

Chat to your GP if your sleep problems continue for a long time, things you try at home are not helping, or if you are worried about an emotional or physical problem. Severe sleep problems can be a sign of depression. Young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may also have problems with sleep. 

Our bloggers and Activists share their tips for dealing with sleep problems.

• "Rather than looking at a phone until you're tired, relax by reading a book, writing a journal entry or listening to music."
• "Put a soft blanket on top of your mattress as this can help you relax. You could try and wrap yourself up in the duvet as this can help with sensory issues."
• "Things that help me are, listening to relaxing music, trying to stick to a time to go to bed and get up, smells you associate with calmness, limiting screen exposure and a notebook to jot down any worries."
• "Give yourself time to wind down before bed. Try to do something relaxing or boring so that you'll feel tired."
• "If like me you're on your phone right up until you sleep, it’s a good idea to download a blue light filter."

Our Activists and other young people share their experience of dealing with sleep problems:

If you are a parent or carer of a child or young person who has sleep problems, we can support you through our Parents Helpline. We are here to listen to you, and give you free, confidential advice and information.