Help and information
Getting Help:
If your sleep-wake cycle is causing you concern it’s a good idea to speak to your parents and/or your GP. Your school nurse should also be able to help and can signpost you to further support option. But just in case, we’ve compiled a list of different resources that might help you on your way:
Organisations and Websites:
Sometimes, if our sleep is troubling us, this can be enough to impact on our mental health. It was also be a sign that perhaps something else in life is bothering us that needs addressing. Either way the following organisations might be worth contacting to see what they can offer:
- Mind You – a website for young people in South Gloucestershire on all sorts of mental health and wellbeing topics. http://sites.southglos.gov.uk/mind-you/
- Kooth – Free, safe and anonymous online support and counselling for young people. For more information visit: Kooth online counselling | South Gloucestershire.
- Off the Record – As well as a comprehensive website with tips and tricks to support all areas of mental health OTR offer services ranging from health promotion groups like the Resilience Lab, to 1:1 therapies such as Art Therapy and Counselling. To find out more and to sign up online just go to: http://www.otrbristol.org.uk
- Sleep Council – This website is packed full of info and advice on how to help you get a good night’s sleep, including blogs posts and ideas for creating the perfect sleep environment: https://sleepcouncil.org.uk/
- Teen Sleep – also offers advice on how to create the perfect, sleep enhancing bedroom as well as facts and figures on why sleep is so important: http://www.teen-sleep.org.uk/
Apps:
All of these apps can be accessed for free on iTunes or Google play– extra features may be available at a cost but the free basics are usually good enough. If you do feel tempted to pay for more features we would always advise you discuss this with your parents first:
- Aura – Aura provides you with daily short (3 minute) meditations to help you relax and unwind. You can also choose to receive mindful breathing breaks throughout the day which last just a few seconds and could support you in feeling calm and ready for a good night’s sleep when the time comes.
- Calm – Calm is specifically designed to help lull you off to sleep, with specially designed stories (you’re never too old for a good story!) and a Breathe Bubble that guides your breath so as to support your mood and feelings of relaxation.
- Simple Habit – This app provides meditations for loads of different situations and moods so you can match them to suit exactly how you’re feeling! Quick five-minute tracks will talk you through everything from getting ready for a test, riding on the bus, and of course getting a good night’s sleep.
- Sleep Cycle – This is one of many apps that can track your sleep patterns so you can work out how much sleep you’re getting each night and what quality it is. It also has an alarm which aims to wake you up during your light sleep stage which should help you to feel more rested and ready to face the day.
iBooks:
“How to Sleep Well and Stay Healthy: A Guide for Teenagers”
A free downloadable iBook produced by Health Insights 4 U
Sleep diary:
If you don’t have a smart phone, or (as advised) would rather not keep your phone by your bed then a good old fashioned paper sleep diary can be the way to go. You can create your own by just noting down each morning what time you went to bed, what time you got up, how much sleep you had in that time and what quality you feel it was. But if you’d like to print out an existing template then try this: https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/insomnia/Documents/sleepdiary.pdf