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World Sleep Day will be commemorated on Friday, 14 March 2025, and the theme this year is, “Make sleep health a priority”. The internationally recognised annual event, created and hosted by the World Sleep Society, aims to build connections and raise sleep health awareness among researchers, healthcare workers, patients, and the public.
Leading bed brand, Restonic SA, marks the occasion every year by drawing attention to the power of sleep and its role in underpinning every aspect of health. “We love this year’s theme,” says Dale Harley, Sales Executive at Restonic. “We spend a lot of time and effort trying to highlight how undervalued sleep tends to be. Sleep can be your super power – the foundation for physical, mental, and psychological health. This year, we’re highlighting sleep health for teens.”
Shifting sleep schedules
Dr Alison Bentley, medical doctor at the Restonic Ezintsha Sleep Clinic, explains that during adolescence, the body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) naturally shifts later. This shift usually occurs between the ages of 14 and 16, and means teens will get sleepy about an hour later. However, they still need the same amount of sleep. If they fall asleep an hour later but wake up at the same time for school, they lose an hour of sleep.
“I’ll have teenaged patients tell me that if school started later, they would have no sleep problems,” she says. “Those patients don’t have a sleep disorder.”
“If this shift combines with poor sleep habits—like screen use before bed or late-night studying—teens may develop sleep problems.”
“There’s a clear medical programme to get them back on track, but it requires discipline,” says Dr Bentley. “A big part of this is creating and sticking to a sleep routine. But teenagers can often fall asleep easily, so they don’t think they need a sleep routine.”
Sleep hygiene
Dr Bentley likens sleep hygiene to dental hygiene. Establishing a sleep routine is like brushing your teeth twice a day. Once it’s a habit, you don’t think about it – you just do it.
Importantly, she stresses that a sleep routine should not end with gaming or social media. “Nobody, unless they are a paramedic or other life-saving professional on call, should be using their phone during the night,” she says. “It should be off. Teens tell me they can’t turn their phones off because they use them as an alarm clock. My reply is that there are shops that sell very reasonably priced alarm clocks. That goes for adults too.”
Melatonin, she explains, is only produced in dim light. Handheld devices disrupt melatonin production because their light is close to your face. To help, reduce screen brightness, put devices away 60 to 90 minutes before bed, and opt for non-screen activities like reading or colouring in.
Teens and napping
Naps might be useful for addressing teens’ sleep debt, where possible (they don’t work for everyone), as school schedules don’t allow teens to sleep in. In fact, Dr Bentley says she often suggests incorporating naps into study schedules, rather than pulling all-nighters before exams.
“Learning has three components,” she says. “Putting the information into your brain, which is much harder when you are tired; banking the information; and memory recall.”
Dr Bentley explains that scientists believe sleep, particularly Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, is critical to hardwiring memory, and therefore an integral part of learning. Memory recall is only effective for information “banked”, so if you’ve managed to absorb less information and store less information, you will be able to access less information when you need it.
“I recommend students study for an hour and a half, then take a 30min nap, and then get up, have a cup of tea or glass of water and start studying again,” she says. “That’s how you bank information – by sleeping. Not by resting, by meditating, by watching TV. Even if you need to stay awake later, it’s better to take that nap and then start again than trying to push through for longer.”
For teens experiencing anxiety around studying that is affecting their sleep, she suggests cutting out caffeine and other stimulants. Then it’s worth trying natural remedies (at dinner time, not at bedtime) and soothing pre-bed routines (such as a warm bath, before turning to sleeping tablets, which can be helpful for certain sleeping problems, but won’t help others.
Parents can also support their teens in making sleep health a priority through setting a good example. If they are worried about their teens, Dr Bentley suggests consulting a medical professional.
Don’t forget the bed
Harley says that parents should also consider upgrading their teen’s bed if necessary. “Parents might not want to admit that their kids are growing up, but your teen might need a new bed if they’ve experienced a recent growth spurt, their current mattress shows signs of significant sagging or indentations, they complain about discomfort while sleeping, or if their current bed is more than seven years old, as their body size and sleep needs can change during adolescence,” he says.
For more sleep advice, visit www.restonic.co.za.