High School 2/6/23: Anxiety and sleep

In the last newsletter article, we looked at the topic of Youth Mental Health. Parents can play a vital role in supporting their teenager’s mental health and well-being by staying informed and engaged in their lives. Two areas that I would like to provide some resources on in this article are;

• Anxiety coping skills
• Good sleep habits

Anxiety

It can be tricky knowing how to help a teenager with anxiety. From helping them learn coping techniques, to making lifestyle changes as a family, there are things you can do to help your teen manage their anxiety. See the Reachout site on: How to build coping skills for anxiety

Sleep Habits

Sleep is vital to a child’s wellbeing. When children sleep well, they are more settled, happier and ready for school the next day. Did you know half of all mental illnesses start during early high school? At this critical stage of development, 40% of young people will face significant sleep problems heightening their risk of anxiety or depression.

So, it should come as no surprise that a serious lack of sleep, or seriously disturbed sleep, is one of the most common symptoms of depression among adolescents. After all, however tired you might feel, it’s hard to drop off if you’re wracked with doubts or worries.

See SchoolTV for video resources on Teens and Sleep.

The Black Dog Institute has developed a free Sleep App called Sleep Ninja. This evidence-based smartphone app has shown to be effective in helping young people with sleep problems.

• 90% of teens who used the app experienced better sleep
• Rates of depression dropped from 77% to 44% after using the app

It’s available for free now on the App store and Google Play. Download Sleep Ninja Here.

I hope these resources help you to support you teenager.

Yours Sincerely,

Anthony Hudson

High School Deputy Principal

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9