Parents and caregivers · 2 minute read · Article and script
Building a Teen Sleep Routine Together
Sleep supports learning and emotional well-being, but teens face real pressures from school schedules, activities, and technology.
Educational information, not a diagnosis or individualized treatment. Sample wording is optional and can be adapted.
Sleep supports learning and emotional well-being, but teens face real pressures from school schedules, activities, and technology. CDC notes that adolescents ages 13–18 are generally recommended to get eight to ten hours of sleep per night; individual needs and circumstances vary.
A practical first step
Start with curiosity rather than a lecture. Ask what makes sleep difficult and choose one change together. A predictable wake-up time, a calmer wind-down, or a mutually agreed plan for phones overnight may be useful. Model the habits you hope to encourage when practical.
Words you can use
Try: “I have noticed mornings have been hard. What gets in the way of sleep, and what is one small change we could try this week?” Agree on a check-in rather than treating one difficult night as failure.
Make the experiment collaborative
Look at the week together: school start time, commute, activities, family responsibilities, and opportunities to wind down. Choose an achievable change and agree on when to revisit it. For example, a teen might try charging a phone outside the sleeping area on school nights, but the family should consider accessibility, safety, and whether the phone is needed as an alarm. Avoid a rigid plan that ignores a teen’s real schedule.
Review without blame
At the check-in ask, “What worked? What got in the way? What should we change?” If the routine was difficult, use that information to revise it. A sleep log may help some families describe patterns to a clinician, but keep it simple and stop if it creates anxiety. Persistent sleep problems deserve assessment rather than punishment or assumptions.
When more support may help
If a teen has persistent sleep problems, loud snoring, breathing concerns, significant daytime sleepiness, or emotional distress, discuss them with a pediatrician or qualified clinician. Avoid assuming that every sleep problem is caused by screen use or anxiety.