Dear Dr. Wes and Julia: I love your articles and want your view on a subject that bothers me. I feel tired after a full night of sleep and sometimes feel as though I just went to bed and then woke up in the morning. What could this be?

– Your No. 1 fan

Dr. Wes: The best gift I could give our No. 1 fan is a good night’s sleep. Its importance cannot be overestimated for teenagers or adults, because every aspect of mental health and alertness is affected by how we spend those nighttime hours. Yet, we tend to cheat sleep as a matter of finding more time in the day to work, study, have fun or just watch TV. Teens and college students are among the most sleep deprived.

Given your description, your situation seems a bit more complex. You probably need to see your doctor, but there are several ways to gather data to make diagnosis easier. First, ask yourself whether you really are allowing enough hours in the night for YOUR body to get the job done. The National Sleep Foundation suggests teens get 8 1/2 to 9 1/2 hours per night. So if the average teen gets up at 7 a.m., he or she should be getting to sleep (not going to bed) at about 10 p.m.

Perhaps you need a little more sleep than your peers. Try adding an hour to your sleep cycle and see what happens. You should also try to keep your sleep schedule very regular – even on weekends. I realize no teen wants to try be in training for the Sleep Relay at the 2008 Olympics, but trying this for two or three weeks will help you determine if the problem is what we call “sleep hygiene.” If you find you’re more rested during this experiment, you probably have the cure – a longer and more regular sleep pattern. Another hint is to avoid “zero hour.” All available research suggests that school for teenagers should start at about 10 a.m. Schools that have tried this have found it significantly improves attendance, attention and grades.

If this doesn’t work, take a look at your diet. Caffeine stays with you longer than you think, and there are increasingly stronger sources of this stimulant than you may realize. Get online and compare caffeine levels of different drinks, then lay them aside for two or three weeks. You also can try varying the temperature in your room, sleeping on a different mattress and blocking light levels to see if anything makes a difference.

Finally, if you really like your Xbox, you need to say goodnight to it a good hour before bedtime. The point of video games is to pump you up – the exact opposite of what you need at bedtime. Same with cell phones, computers and other gadgets.

If none of this works, you need to consult your doctor. Ask about medications you’re taking, because many can change sleep patterns. If nothing adds up medically, then ask about a sleep study. Many hospitals, including Lawrence Memorial Hospital, can do them. There are several medical conditions including sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and primary insomnia that severely impair good sleep. A sleep study can narrow down the diagnosis before you start throwing medication at it.

If you’re still not sleeping, I suggest visiting a therapist. Feeling tired and worn down can be a symptom of depression or excess stress. However, I mention this last simply because these conditions tend to be the first guess therapists and psychiatrists make when confronted with low energy. If this is your only symptom, the above issues need to be examined before assuming a psychological cause.

Julia: It’s good that you’re concerned about your sleeping habits. So many people take for granted the benefits of sleep on their appearance, overall health and performance. Scientists are now saying that going to sleep early the night before a test helps you retain the material you’ve studied. Sleep also releases a chemical that causes you to eat less during the day, reducing the risk for obesity. Missing a few hours every once in a while isn’t as harmful as going to bed late every night or getting to bed and not sleeping.

Stress is a common reason for sleeplessness because going to bed stressed means that the energy associated with previous or upcoming events will dog your brain and keep you from calming down. My best remedy for the stressed-out sleeper is to let out all your thoughts. If I have something that’s bothering me – a chore, an assignment, or a multitude of both – I write down everything that I need to do. Use a sticky note, make a list or journal your thoughts or concerns. Validating that they exist and that something else (a little square of paper) is remembering them for you immediately will relieve some stress. Also, doing calming things such as reading, knitting and exercising (a few hours before bed) can give your mind a mundane and occupying activity to help lull you to sleep.

If stress isn’t the cause of insomnia, consider your current eating habits. Eating or consuming caffeine later in the evening can throw off your body’s system of winding down and cause it to release stored energy late into the night. Eat dinner and any post-dinner snacks no later than 7 p.m. and see if that helps. You can adjust the time as needed to fit your schedule.

If you’re still not seeing results, consider your surroundings. I wake up if the light from my alarm clock is too bright, and I can only get to sleep on a certain pillow. Think about anything that might be keeping you from sleeping. Electronics and the mosquito-like hum they emit can be a major culprit. Bright lights or windows that face streetlamps may affect your sleep, too. Check out your sleeping arrangement and correct any nighttime distractions.

Good luck and sweet dreams!

Next week: How can I tell if my teenager has suicidal thoughts or plans?

Dr. Wes Crenshaw is a board-certified family psychologist and director of the Family Therapy Institute Midwest. Julia Davidson is a Bishop Seabury Academy junior. Opinions and advice given here are not meant as a substitute for psychological evaluation or therapy services. Send your questions about adolescent issues (limited to 200 words) to doubletake@ljworld.com. All correspondence is strictly confidential.