Sleep
How much sleep we need a night: 10–11 hours for ages 6–12, 8–9 hours for ages 13–18 and 7–9 hours for adults.
The page in brief
- Children aged 6–12 need 10–11 hours of sleep. Young people aged 13–18 need 8–9 hours.
- When we sleep, the body rests, the brain sorts memories and our mood becomes more stable.
- Screens in the evening make it harder to fall asleep.
- Put the screen away for a while before bedtime and leave the phone outside the bedroom.
- Use the calculator on the page to see when it is time to sleep.
Why is sleep so important?
Sleeping properly is perhaps the single most important factor for our wellbeing. During sleep, the body and brain get the chance to recover, process impressions and handle emotions. A good night’s sleep makes it easier for the smartest part of the brain, the frontal lobe, to steer our decisions and behaviour. If we sleep badly, the more emotion-driven parts of the brain take over, which can lead to poorer concentration and impulse control, more irritation and a focus on the negative.
What happens when we sleep?
The brain clears and processes
Memories are stored and new impressions are sorted.
The body repairs itself
Blood pressure drops, muscles relax, the immune system is built up, cells are replaced and the body’s systems recover.
Mood becomes more stable
Enough sleep reduces the risk of low mood and anxiety.
Common causes of sleep problems
There are many reasons for having trouble sleeping, and sleep problems are becoming more common. Partly this is because we live in an always-connected world where constant stimulation from screens can disturb sleep. Screen light tricks the brain into staying awake, and the content we consume can keep our thoughts active long after we have gone to bed. Many people who take their phone to bed scroll for longer than they meant to and fall asleep later. Using screens as a distraction during the day can also make us unused to the “lack” of stimulation when it is time to wind down, and make it harder to put up with silence, slowness and our own thoughts.
Work out your bedtime
Start from how much sleep is needed and count backwards from waking up. Add 30–60 minutes of screen-free time to wind down.
1. How old is the person?
2. When does the alarm go off?
Sleep needed at that age: 8–9 hours a night.
Tips for better sleep
Plan your sleep
Decide when you need to go to bed to get enough sleep.
Get an analogue alarm clock
Leave your phone outside the bedroom.
Wind down calmly
Have a bath or a shower, read a book and give your brain time to wind down.
Exercise every day
Regular movement helps the body fall asleep faster and sleep better.
Brain rest during the day
Do your thoughts spin when you are trying to sleep? Practise just being with your thoughts during the day, when you are not tired. We tend to worry when it is dark, so you will be better prepared when it is time to fall asleep.
Talk with your child
Open questions make it easier to talk about everyday life without it turning into an interrogation.
“What time do you usually go to bed? Fall asleep? And when do you get up? (weekdays/weekends)”
“How are you sleeping? Tell me about it.”
“What does an ordinary weekday evening look like for you when you are going to bed? What do you do just before you fall asleep?”
Show that you are curious, ask open questions and listen to understand. Sum up what you have heard and ask if you have understood correctly. Focus on balance, not on what is wrong.
The questions come from Det syns inte’s conversation material “Må bra samtal” (feel-good conversations).
Want to work with this at school?
Det syns inte is a school programme about mental health, the brain and life with screens. It is built on drama films and research, and is used by teachers, mentors and school health teams together with the students. The programme’s website is in Swedish.