Features of a teenager's sleep
Along with puberty and accelerated growth in the body of a teenager:
- there is a “reconfiguration” of the internal biological clock, as a result of which the phase of their day becomes longer, regardless of the length of daylight hours [1].
- the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep and increases sleep duration, decreases [2].
Melatonin has an antigonadotropic effect, and a decrease in its level accelerates puberty [3].
- sensitivity to the natural desire to sleep, which increases during the day and intensifies in the evening, decreases. Compared to adults or younger children, adolescents are less susceptible to this [4].
As a consequence of all these changes, biological night occurs later in adolescents, but the need for sleep does not decrease at all [5].
Of course, all of these changes in a teenager’s body occur gradually: every year the child gets older and begins to go to bed later and later. Going to bed at 23.00 in adolescence is normal and physiological [6,7].
Teenagers cannot go to bed early because their internal clock is set to a later time - 1-2 hours later than in childhood [2,7].
Teenager in a dream. Interpretation
A teenager is a multi-valued and important symbol.
Be sure to analyze the dream and remember all the details in order to understand the message encoded in the plot. Let's look at the options further. Contents:
Hide
- 1. General symbolism of the image of youth in a dream
- 2. Why does a teenager dream 2.1. See yourself young
- 2.2. I dreamed about a teenager of the opposite sex
- 2.3. Memories from youth
- 2.4. Acting ungrown
- 2.5. Seeing a young man in a dream
- 2.6. Dreaming about an educational institution
General symbolism of the image of youth in a dream
Adolescence increases from about twelve to eighteen years of age or twenty-one years of age.
As we get older, we may find that our dreams sometimes take us back to our teenage years.
We may not want to go through the pain of growing up again, but dreams show us that we can combine our maturity and experience with youthful energy and enthusiasm.
Taking into account that visions of childhood are usually shrouded in nostalgia, thoughtfulness, and regrets, dreams of teenagers most often carry the meaning of fulfilling desires, dreams, and plans.
Can also mean:
initial uncertainty or awkwardness in the relationship.
Romantic feelings and spontaneous love that are difficult to maintain in the face of difficulties.
Longing for a carefree time.
Why does a teenager dream?
Dreams about young creatures symbolize:
your passion, zeal, impetuosity and perhaps rebellion against social rules.
A transitional period in the dreamer’s life and a burst of development, which causes him to feel awkward, angular, as in adolescence.
Keep in mind, this “in-between stage” is transitory. Persist and you will emerge stronger, wiser and more confident than ever before.
See yourself young
If you are already an adult, a dream in which you are a teenager again and hanging out with your friends at a disco may demonstrate that you are currently coping with life and not taking it too seriously.
On the other hand, your dreaming mind may encourage you to take more time to rest.
The dream can also reflect personal growth: you begin to focus on your undeveloped traits (will, discipline, etc.).
I dreamed about a teenager of the opposite sex
Such a dream usually indicates a repressed part of your personality - tenderness, kindness, cruelty, aggressiveness or others.
The emotions associated with growing up are very raw and clear, and in adulthood they are often only accessible through dreams, when a person may not be in control of their experiences.
Memories from youth
If you dream about your teenage years, your subconscious may be encouraging you to recapture some of your creativity, energy, and sense of freedom.
Acting ungrown
A dream in which the dreamer behaves like a teenager, using poor judgment and not controlling emotions, tells you that your current behavior is stupid and unproductive.
Seeing a young man in a dream
For an adult, the dream represents the masculine/intellectual side of your personality.
Alternative interpretations
A sign of immaturity and the desire to be forever young and without responsibility.
A sign that honest work and commitment to duty is the only true path to prosperity.
For a young girl, a dream means:
- a stranger's ardent love for her.
- She will soon fall in love or get married.
Dreaming about an educational institution
A vision depicting school, exams or college means that you need to expand your horizons, gain new knowledge or information. Apparently, you don’t have enough of them for today’s activities.
If you have unpleasant memories associated with school, the dream encourages you to take a more positive and optimistic approach to life. Or it helps you overcome a sad experience, relive it again in a dream, so that in reality you feel better.
I offer a simple exercise to work through negative experiences that can affect your health and well-being if ignored.
required!
On this topic:
Need for sleep
For optimal health, adolescents (14-17 years old) should get 8-10 hours of sleep per night. The total duration of sleep should not be less than 7 and more than 11 hours [8,9]. Read more about the qualitative and quantitative indicators of sleep in the article “How much should a child sleep?”
High social and educational activity makes a great contribution to the changes taking place. Regular use of artificial light sources - table lamp, computer, TV - additionally stimulates and excites the nerve cells responsible for setting the internal biological clock (circadian rhythms). Their activity helps to maintain a state of alertness for a longer period of time. In addition, artificial light prevents the increase in the concentration of melatonin in the blood in the evening (the increase occurs only in the dark), which also delays falling asleep [2,10,11]. Read more about the biological clock in the article “Children's sleep and circadian rhythms.”
According to numerous studies, it has been found that adolescents from 11 to 17 years of age inclusive spend significantly less time sleeping than younger schoolchildren or adults. Their average sleep duration is 5-6-7 hours, with the required norm being 8-10 hours [5].
About 50 years ago, teenagers did not have a TV or computer in their room, so they got much better sleep [4].
Lack of sleep
Insufficient sleep during the week for many teens results in more sleep on the weekends. However, it is known that the difference between the evening onset of sleep and morning awakening on workdays and weekends should not exceed 1 hour [12]. By going to bed and waking up later on the weekend, and then waking up early on Monday and subsequent days, the functioning of the internal biological clock (circadian rhythms) can be significantly disrupted. In addition, when falling asleep late, the stage of deep sleep often coincides with getting up in the morning to study [7]. This is why it can be very difficult to wake up a child.
Some educational institutions practice later start of morning classes: not at 8.00, but at 9.00. So teenagers can sleep 1 extra hour each day, for a total of 5 hours a week.
Regular lack of sleep certainly affects health - cognitive, behavioral, metabolic and other disorders occur. Read more in the article “Lack of sleep in children.”
The effect of sleep on the nervous system
Starting from the first days of life, the child’s brain grows and develops, and the number of cells and contacts between them increases every day. Thus, in children in the first month of life, the number of neurons is 100 million, and the number of contacts between them (synapses) is 2,500 per cell. By adolescence, the number of synapses reaches 15,000 per cell. This density of contacts creates a risk for less efficient brain function; therefore, during adolescence, all unnecessary and defective synapses are reduced, and this occurs mainly during sleep [13].
The reduction of synapses is the final stage in the maturation of the child’s brain.
Lack of sleep in a teenager can lead to disruption of this process [13]. This is why teenagers who do not get enough sleep are more likely to have learning difficulties and develop mental disorders: depression, fears, anxiety, suicidal activity and alcohol/drug use [14]. According to American studies, such deviations occur in almost half of adolescents [6].
Interpretation of the meaning of sleep depending on the details
So, you happened to see a boy’s child in a dream. This is a very popular plot; both older people and young children dream about boys. Of course, age has a direct impact on the interpretation of sleep. But there are other factors that influence what it means to see a boy in a dream. First of all, these are various details of the plot: you saw a cheerful child or a sad one, a very young child or almost a teenager, etc. Using our tips, you can reconstruct the plot of the dream and understand what the little boy is dreaming about.
Who saw the dream: girl, girl, woman, man
If in a dream you had a baby boy
The birth of a child in real life is a real happiness for most families. Many people have been waiting for this event for years, so for a childless couple in which one of the partners dreams of the birth of a boy, this may mean that they will soon become parents, but for this they will have to work hard. In part, such a dream is a hint that one of the partners, or perhaps two at once, has something wrong with their health and should consult a doctor. But this dream does not mean that in reality you will have a boy; it is just a harbinger of imminent changes in the family.
How to prevent possible deviations?
To improve your teenager's sleep, it is important to:
- follow a daily routine regularly. This applies not only to the time of going to bed and getting up in the morning, but also to regular intake of healthy food, sufficient physical activity, and a balanced approach to mental stress and rest;
- encourage early bedtime. Of course, it won’t be possible to put a teenager to bed at 21.00, but with a regular bedtime at 23.00 or a little later, if the child is used to going to bed even later, you can gradually move this time in small steps to the desired one [7];
If the child regularly goes to bed at 24.00, then for the first week let him go to bed as usual, but not later. After a few days or a week, you can start going to bed 10-15 minutes earlier. By shifting the time of falling asleep once every 3-7 days, you can ensure that in a month the child will fall asleep independently and naturally at 23.00. If you wish, you can continue to shift the bedtime further, and in this way adjust the bedtime to 22.00. The main thing is to follow the regime every day. It is necessary to change the evening curfew time no more than once every few days and no more than for 10-15 minutes. Gradual changes can adjust the child's internal clock.
- limit active activities and use of media and electronics in the evening;
- perform evening rituals: a bath or shower before bed, reading a book (not a tablet), etc. It has been proven that these procedures promote relaxation and good sleep [15]. Read more in the article “Preparing your child for sleep.”
And also a good alternative to compensate for the general lack of sleep is to take a nap during the day when returning home after studying; The recommended duration is 30-45 minutes [2], more details in the article “Daytime sleep in a child.”
And in addition, some teenagers may experience other sleep disorders in addition to lack of sleep: insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome. It is important for parents to be attentive to their child and, if in doubt, seek help from specialists.
Why does a boy dream: interpretation from various dream books
Sometimes in a dream you can see children, your own or strangers, acquaintances or not. Why do you dream about a boy, a small child or a teenager? Such a dream most often evokes positive emotions. Most of us have our own children and they bring us joy and happiness. Therefore, if you had to give birth to a boy in a dream or see a beautiful, healthy and cheerful child, you will wake up in a good mood in the morning. But don’t forget about the details; there are also not very positive interpretations of what the boy dreams about. So let's take a closer look at everything.
If in a dream you dreamed of a boy, your own or someone else’s, small or adult, most often this is a good sign.
