Beds and Teenage Sleep Habits
For many teenagers, beds are the last place they want to be – but research shows poor sleep makes them even more moodier than normal.
Teenage moods are not good at the best of times. Teenage years are a difficult transition for even the most well behaved children. Hormones and impending adulthood can trigger plenty of emotional, physical and even mental problems in teens. But could their mattress and beds be the answer?
Research shows that a teenager's approach to their mattress can impact on their behaviour and mood. Teenagers actually need more sleep than adults, but many of them are simply not getting the quality sleep they need. Some specialists have even suggested starting school at 11am so teens can spend more time in their beds. For those who think they'll burn the candle at both ends and then use the weekend to reacquaint themselves with their mattress, this outlook could be quite damaging – especially for teens.
Getting Teens to Love their Mattress
The world is simply too full of stimulants for most teenagers – whether it's socialising, going online or watching TV - beds are often the last place on their mind. So how can parents get their teenagers to love their beds? The knowledge that poor sleep can result in weight gain and make teenagers grumpy and even unpopular may be enough of an incentive.
Sleep expert Doctor Neil Stanley told the BBC that many teenagers see their mattress as uninviting – beds get in the way of life and many young people have a 'live for the weekend' approach to life. It's not unusual for some teens to go to bed at 3am and get up at 8, and they don't even need to be out socialising, just emailing, texting or watching the box. Many sleep experts say our beds should be free of electronic gadgets (like mobiles) and our bedrooms empty of TVs or music systems that could act as a distraction to sleep. The fact is four hours sleep a night will lead to serious problems for most people.
Mattress and Beds – As Crucial as Diet and Exercise
Obesity, depression and other mental and physical health problems are all linked to sleep deprivation. If teenagers were aware that their looks and future could be detrimentally effected by poor sleep, they may take their beds more seriously. Trying to catch up with our beds by spending more time on the mattress at the weekends simply doesn't work. You need regular sleep to maintain healthy melatonin levels. And some sleep experts say teens should be allowed to sleep in with lessons starting at 11am instead of 9am. The mattress and beds should be promoted as being just as crucial as diet and exercise.
Looking for a new Bed or Mattress? Speak to Snug
Snug memory foam mattresses are carefully crafted to help you achieve a good night's sleep. Our top class memory foam mattresses are hypo-allergenic, temperature sensitive and come complete with 5 or 15 year guarantees. You can shop online straight away, or call us on 0800 0277017 if you need help with your choice of mattress.
