Sleep and Mental Wellbeing

Sleep plays a crucial role in allowing your brain the necessary 'down time' to process and store the information it receives during the day. Insufficient sleep affects your mood and concentration, this can then impact learning and school attendance.

Here are some tips for seriously good shut-eye:

The darker, the quieter, the better. Exposure to even low levels of light while sleeping has been linked to symptoms of depression. Try and make your room like a cave – quiet and very dark. 

Eat smart, sleep tight. Going to bed feeling hungry or full can cause discomfort and may keep you up. Avoid large meals or caffeine within a couple of hours of bedtime.

The cool thing to do. Sleep experts recommend sleeping at between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius. Try using a fan, opening windows and wearing cool pyjamas. 

Lights down, devices down. Try not to use devices with a screen (phones, laptops, tablets, computers, TVs) in the lead up to sleep. The blue light they emit can seriously affect your sleep patterns.

Be a morning person. We’re not suggesting you wake up at ‘what-the-heck-o-clock’ –just that you do any vigorous exercise or highly energetic activities earlier in the day so that you’re not too buzzed to sleep at night.

Live, sleep, repeat. Try sticking to a regular sleep schedule. Maintaining a routine around sleep can help you feel sleepy at the right time. We’re creatures of habit and our bodies crave routine!

For more help and information:

Sleep Ninja® - Black Dog Institute | Better Mental Health

Practical strategies to improve your teen’s sleep | Sleep (reachout.com)

Child not sleeping? Teenage sleep improved in a few steps | SleepShack

– Ms Marie Pritchard | School Based Youth Health Nurse