- Why is sleep important?
- What are the benefits of sleep?
- What happens when we sleep?
- How much sleep do we need?
- How to know if we are getting enough sleep?
- What is sleep deprivation?
- What is revenge bedtime procrastination?
- What are the effects of sleep deprivation?
- What is a sleep disorder?
- Signs of sleep disorder and what to do
- List of sleep centres
- Tips to get a good night’s sleep
- What to do if we cannot fall asleep
- Self-help tools for sleeping well
The importance
of sleeping well
Our teenage years are a formative period. The brain and body experience significant development, and the transition to adulthood brings important changes that affect emotions, social and family life.
Many teens who are undergoing puberty may also experience changes in their sleep, for instance, later bedtimes and wake-up times as well as finding it harder to sleep due to the changes in their body’s internal clock.
Yet, sleep is essential during this time because it allows us to be at our best. Let’s learn more about sleep health and how teenagers like us can have better sleep!
Why do we need sleep?
Regular, adequate, and restful sleep recharges our bodies and minds, leaving us refreshed and alert when we awaken.
This is beneficial for our:
Learning
It helps to consolidate memory (i.e., preserve key memories and discard excessive information) for better learning.
Brain
It helps in the development of the part of the brain used for memory.
Mental well-being
It helps with mood regulation, the ability to control one’s mood and emotional state.
Health
It helps to boost our immune system, while giving our body time to restore itself and replenish energy for the next day.
What happens when we sleep?
We usually pass through four sleep stages. These stages progress in a continuous cycle from Stage 1 to 4 (which is known as the rapid eye movement, or REM stage). Sleep cycles vary from person to person.
On average, each sleep cycle lasts around 90 minutes and repeats several times throughout the night.
A good night’s sleep should leave us feeling refreshed, alert, and ready to begin the day.
International recommendations for sleep duration depend on age. For those who are 11 to 13 years old, it is recommended they aim for 9 to 11 hours of sleep. For those aged 14 to 17, the recommended sleep duration is 8 to 10 hours each day.
Sleep tracking is a good way to know how many hours of sleep we are getting. Similar to a sleep diary, sleep tracking can help us measure the duration of our sleep using our wearable devices, with our sleep records easily accessible on our mobile apps. Through this, not only are we able to track if we are getting sufficient rest daily, but we can also understand and improve the quality of our sleep.
Sleep trackers can provide us with detailed information about our sleep patterns, such as how long we slept or how many times we awoke during the night. Some commercial brand wearables can also record the duration we spend in each stage of sleep. By monitoring these sleep patterns, we can make adjustments to improve the quality of our sleep.
Tracking our sleep can help us learn more about our sleep habits. For example, we may notice certain activities that prevent us from getting enough sleep such as binge-watching shows at night. Being mindful of these can provide us with a better understanding of the improvements we can make to our sleep habits, helping us to prioritise better sleep.
Ready to reap the benefits of sleep tracking? Simply pair the app with a compatible fitness tracker* and start tracking your sleep with the Healthy 365 app! Please note that you must be at least 15 years old and own a Singpass account to be able to use the app. Click here to find out how you can now use it to track your sleep.
Get on the app today.
It is a general term to describe a state when we don’t have enough sleep, or poor quality sleep. The main signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation include feeling very tired during the day, reduced concentration, slower thinking, and mood changes.
Changes in our bodies
I.e. changes to our biological
sleep-wake cycles and
feeling less sleepy at night.
Poor sleep hygiene
E.g. irregular bedtime routines and bedroom environments that do not encourage sleep.
Lifestyle choices
E.g. staying up to binge-watch shows.
School commitments
E.g. homework/
assignments.
Sleep disorders
E.g. sleep apnoea, a breathing disorder that causes us to wake up all of a sudden.
Other medical conditions
E.g. anxiety disorder which includes persistent and excessive worry about activities/events, big or small.
Sleep deprivation is often a result of poor sleep hygiene. An example is Revenge Bedtime Procrastination (RBP) where we sacrifice sleep for more leisure time.
In cases where our roles (or responsibilities) take up a significant portion of our day and we feel that we are left with very little time for leisure and relaxation, we may take “revenge” by pushing back our bedtimes to do the things we find fun and relaxing, e.g. gaming, engaging in social media, binge-watching shows.
Although this can be tempting in the moment, late nights followed by early mornings can lead to sleep deprivation. Learn how to prevent this by picking up good sleep habits.
What are the effects of sleep deprivation?
Being sleep deprived can affect our day-to-day lives. It can cause us to:
- Have trouble understanding our own or other people’s emotions.
- Be more likely to focus on things that make us feel anxious or worried during stressful situations.
- Be more impulsive.
- Have trouble concentrating, leading to poorer performance in school.
Over time, a persistent lack of sleep can pose the following risks to our physical and mental health:
Obesity
Some research has found that people tend to consume more calories and carbohydrates when they are sleep deprived.
Mental health conditions
Poor sleep has strong associations with conditions such as depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder, a mental disorder that causes extreme mood swings.
Diabetes
Insufficient sleep appears to affect the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, increasing the risk of diabetes.
Compromised immune function
Sleep deficiency has been shown to lead to poorer immune function.
What is a sleep disorder?
A sleep disorder is characterised by a disruptive sleep pattern that may include
any of the following:
- Abnormal behaviour associated with sleep (e.g. sleepwalking)
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Excessive total sleep time
- Falling asleep at inappropriate times
- Needing multiple caffeinated drinks to make it through the day
- Often appearing tired and/or feeling fatigued
- Difficulty concentrating at home or school
- Feeling sleepy or irritable during the day
- Difficulty staying awake while sitting
- Emotional outbursts
- Memory problems
- Slowed reaction
- Snoring
We may experience difficulty sleeping at some points in our lives. If the issue persisted for at least a month, caused significant emotional distress and interfered with our functioning in school or in social settings, we could consider keeping a sleep record.
The sleep record, either in the form of a sleep diary or tracker, could allow us to calculate our total sleep time, identify sleep disruptions and other unknown factors that may influence our sleep.
It would also serve as useful information for the healthcare professional to make a diagnosis on whether we have a sleep disorder.
The sleep record should include:
The time we went to bed
and woke up
Total sleep hours and how we felt the quality of sleep was
A record of the time we spent awake and what we did (e.g. “got up, had a glass of milk”, “stayed in bed with eyes closed”)
Types and amount of food, liquids, or caffeine we consumed before bed, plus the frequency of consumption
Our feelings and mood before bed (e.g. stress, anxiety, low mood)
Medications or drugs taken, including time of consumption and dose
Sleep centres
If we are concerned about our sleep, or if our sleep problems persist, are bothersome or interfere with how we feel or function during the day, we can let our parents know and get them to accompany us to seek advice from a healthcare professional at any of the sleep centres listed below.
Department of Sleep Medicine, Surgery & Science
-
Address:
Level 2D (Lung Clinic & Integrated Sleep Centre)
Level 8 (Sleep Laboratory)
2 Simei Street 3
Singapore 529889Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri: 8:30am – 5:30pm
Sat: 8:30am – 12:30pm
Closed on Sun and PHTel: 6788 8833
Appointment for Specialist
Clinics: 6850 3333
Department of Otolaryngology (ENT)
– Head and Neck Surgery
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Clinic
-
Address:
90 Yishun Central
Singapore 768828Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri: 8:00am – 5:30pm
Sat: 8:00am – 1:00pm
Closed on Sun and PHTel: 6555 8828
-
Address:
100 Bukit Timah Rd
Singapore 229899Opening Hours:
24 hoursTel: 6225 5554
-
Address:
5 Second Hospital Avenue
Singapore 168938Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri: 8:00am – 5:30pm
Closed on Sat, Sun and PHTel: 6324 8802
Sleep Disorder Clinic
-
Address:
NNI @ TTSH Campus
Neuroscience Clinic, Level 1
National Neuroscience Institute
11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng
Singapore 308433Opening Hours (Clinic):
Mon – Wed, Fri: 8:00am – 5:30pm
Thu: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Closed on Sat, Sun and PHTel: 6330 6363
-
Address:
NNI @ SGH Campus
Neuroscience Clinic, Block 3
Singapore General Hospital
Outram Road
Singapore 169608Opening Hours (Clinic):
Mon – Fri: 8:00am – 6:00pm
Sat: 8:00am – 1:00pm
Closed on Sun and PHTel: 6321 4377
Paediatric Sleep and Airway Clinic (Multidisciplinary clinic)
-
Address:
Khoo Teck Puat – National University Children’s Medical Institute, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074Opening Hours:
1st and 3rd Saturday of the month, 9am – 1pm (By appointment only)Email: ktpnucmi_appt@nuhs.edu.sg
-
Respiratory Clinic and Sleep Clinic
Address:
NUH Medical Centre, 13b Medicine Clinic, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday,
8.30am to 5.30pm
Closed on weekends and public holidaysEmail: appointment@nuhs.edu.sg
-
Sleep Surgery Clinic
Address:
NUH Medical Centre, 15c ENT – Head and Neck Surgery Centre, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074Opening Hours:
Every Monday,
9am to 12.30pmEmail: ent@nuhs.edu.sg
Sleep Disorder Multidisciplinary Care
-
Address:
1 Jurong East Street 21
Singapore 609606Opening Hours:
Tues – Fri: 8:30am – 12:30pm
Closed on Mon, Sat, Sun and PHTel: 6716 2222
Sleep Clinic
-
Address:
Medical Centre, Level 6E
110 Sengkang East Way
Singapore 544886Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri: 8:30am – 5:30pm
Closed on Sat, Sun and PHTel: 6930 6000
Sleep Disorders Clinic
Obtain a referral letter to enjoy subsided rates*
-
Address:
SingHealth Tower, Level 3
(Outram Community Hospital)Opening Hours:
Appointment-based; no walk-insTel: 6321 4377
Department of Otolaryngology (ENT)
Sleep Disorder Clinic
Clinic 1B
-
Address:
Level 1, TTSH Medical Centre
11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng
Singapore 308433Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri: 8:30am – 5:30pm
Closed on Sat, Sun and PHTel: 6357 7000
What can we do to get a good night's sleep?
Our daily habits and sleep environment are very important to ensure a good night’s sleep and prevent sleep deprivation.
Here are some self-help tips:
What can we do to get a good night's sleep?
Avoid using electronics at least 30 mins before bedtime
The blue light coming from the phone/television/tablet suppresses melatonin, a hormone that supports our sleep/wake cycle. When our cycle is disrupted, we would feel less rested.
Reading emails, sending texts, and checking social media, etc. can also stimulate our mind, making it harder for us to fall and remain asleep.
Practise relaxation techniques
Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and muscle relaxation can help us calm our mind and body.
Read a book
Stick to an old-fashioned physical book, or use an e-reader, rather than a bright tablet or mobile phone.
Listen to relaxing music
Slow and soothing music can help us feel relaxed and at ease, making it easier for us to fall asleep.
Once we integrate music into our bedtime routine, we should stick with it. It will become a habit that signals to our body to prepare for rest.
Check out this playlist that can help us sleep better.
Eat smart
Avoid going to bed with an overly full belly. It will make us feel uncomfortable and could keep us awake longer. Sometimes, heartburn or gas will further increase the discomfort, and affect sleep.
Also, avoid having large meals or late-night snacks before bed-time. Instead, have light and healthy snacks like low-fat yoghurt, a cup of milk, or a serving of fruit.
Exercise regularly
Moderate-to-vigorous physical activities help us fall asleep more quickly and improve our sleep quality. Being exposed to sunlight while exercising outdoors helps our body regulate its sleep/wake cycle.
Exercise also leads to changes in body temperature that help us get a good night’s sleep. Current science suggests the best time to exercise for better sleep differs from person to person.
Try exercising at different times to determine an exercise schedule that works best for us and helps us sleep better. Stay active with our exercise tips!
Stick to a bedtime routine
The consistency of a routine signals to our body and brain to sleep. Create a routine and schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day (including weekends).
Stay away from caffeine at night
Caffeinated drinks, such as energy drinks, are stimulants that can temporarily make us feel more alert by blocking sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain and increase adrenaline production.
Keep our sleep environment comfortable
Block out light using thick curtains or eye shades, and consider using earplugs to shut out loud noises.
Avoid evening naps
Napping later in the evening may disrupt our ability to fall asleep at night. Research has shown that the best time to take a power nap is in the early to mid-afternoon, and the nap should last approximately 10 to 20 minutes.
What if we cannot fall asleep?
Lying awake in bed for too long can create an unhealthy mental association between our sleeping environment and staying awake. Instead, we should create positive associations that promote thoughts and feelings that encourage sleep.
If we cannot fall asleep after 20 minutes, we should not force ourselves to stay in bed. We should get up and do another activity, e.g. go to another part of our house and do something relaxing, such as reading or listening to soothing music.
