Growth Mindset
Good quality sleep is like a mental health superpower. When you get enough sleep, it's easier to manage your emotions (including stress!).
As a guide:
- If you're in primary school, you need about 9-10 hours of sleep each night
- If you're in early high school, you need 9-10 hours of sleep each night
- If you're in later high school, you need 8-9 hours of sleep each night
Try these top tips to improve your sleep:
#1 Create a good routine - Set a consistent bed-time and waking-up time, both through the school week and into the weekend.
#2 Wind down and establish a digital bedtime– In the hour before bed, try to wind down and take time out from your screens and your study. This helps to calm the brain and prevent the impact of blue light emission on your circadian rhythm.
#3 Tech swap - If part of your relaxation at night does involve screens, swap your phone or laptop for the TV. TV is passive, it doesn't typically emit as much blue light, and you hopefully sit much further away. The challenge with our phones in particular is not only they bright screen, but we tend to be more emotionally engaged with mates, social media posts, games etc. You might also like to try an audio book, podcast or meditation app (see here)
#4 Bed is for sleeping - Try not to use your bed for anything other than sleeping, so that your body comes to associate bed with sleep. If you use bed as a place to watch TV, eat, study, play games, your body won’t learn this connection.
#5 Diet - Avoid caffeine for at least 6 hours before going to bed. Also try to eat right - a healthy, balanced diet will help you to sleep well, but timing is important. Some people find that a very empty stomach at bedtime is distracting, so it can be useful to have a light snack, but a heavy meal soon before bed can also interrupt sleep.
Maintenance Remember, it can take a few weeks for the mind and body to fully adjust to a new sleep timetable. So, don’t expect quick results! The key is planning ahead, preparing well, and maintaining your healthy habits.
What if I can't get to sleep?
It can be incredibly frustrating when you want to sleep but just can't! The following tips can be helpful if you're struggling to get to sleep:
- Try relaxation (see here for examples)
- Get up and try again - If you haven’t been able to get to sleep after about 20 minutes, get up and do something calming or boring until you feel sleepy, then return to bed and try again.
- ‘Mind dump’ – If your head is full of worries and/or ‘to do’s’, it can be helpful to write a list before bed to clear your mind.
- Reframing - Rather than becoming anxious about not being able to sleep and clock-watching, remind yourself that your body is resting and that’s ok.
- Knox Wellbeing Centre – For persistent sleep difficulties, visit our wellbeing team (psychs@knox.nsw.edu.au)
There are many useful Apps, websites or video-clips available to assist with improving sleep patterns, to assist relaxation in the evenings, or to reduce stress and anxiety. Some are free and some may charge a small amount to download. Try to see which ones may work for you and for your family. Two Australian websites that I recommend, designed by specialists in the field and using evidence-based principles and research, are :