An intimate glimpse inside a silent epidemic that is harming teens, and a pathway for parents to help them reclaim the restorative power of sleep.
If you could protect your child from unnecessary anxiety, depression, and chronic stress, and foster a greater sense of happiness and well-being in their lives, wouldn’t you? In this book, the authors of The Happy Sleeper, the classic book on helping babies and young children develop healthy sleep habits, uncover one of the greatest threats to our teenagers’ physical and mental health: sleep deprivation. Caught in a perfect storm of omnipresent screens, academic overload, and unnecessarily early school-start times, our children are operating in a constant state of sleep debt while struggling to meet the demands of adolescence.
In this essential book, Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright draw on the latest scientific research to reveal that today’s teenagers are, in fact, the most sleep-deprived population in human history. In fact, at a critical phase of development, many teens need more sleep than their younger siblings — but they’re getting drastically less. Generation Sleepless guides families in building healthy habits around sleep by:
• establishing family agreements around sleep habits;
• altering family practices around phones, social media, and screen time;
• regaining overall equilibrium in the home; and
• remaking bedtime routines
Packed with years of research and in-depth reporting, Generation Sleepless is a wake-up call for parents that equips them with the right tools to start a family conversation about sleep and to ultimately regain connection with their tweens and teens.
‘Well-researched, skillfully written, and deeply helpful. Turgeon and Wright are cultural therapists who teach us how to help teens with the most urgent and important of lessons — how to sleep well. I recommend this book to all parents of tweens and teens.’
Mary Pipher, author of Reviving Ophelia
‘In Generation Sleepless, Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright provide an essential guide to supporting the key nutrient for the adolescent brain: sleep. I love this book because it provides a respectful, emotionally attuned, and practical roadmap to helping teenagers get the sleep their bodies and brains so desperately need. I highly encourage everyone who parents or works with teens to read and share this much needed resource!’
Mona Delahooke, PhD, author of Beyond Behaviours and Brain-Body Parenting
View all reviews
‘Grounded in a deep understanding of sleep, family dynamics, and social realities, this engaging book seamlessly and creatively integrates practical tips and tools families can use for immediate relief with ways they can work to make the systemic changes — including sleep-friendly school start times — that make healthy sleep possible.’
Terra Ziporyn Snider, PhD, Executive Director and co-founder of Start School Later, and co-author of The New Harvard Guide to Women’s Health
‘Generation Sleepless exposes the myriad of factors that squeeze teen sleep, but more importantly, it gives us a practical framework with to-do’s for society, as well as five easy-to-deploy habits for families that really make a difference.’
Dr Michael Breus, author of The Power of When
‘Rest is vital for developing brains … Turgeon and Wright explain the connection between sleep and mental health — and what parents can do to help.’
PEOPLE
‘Turgeon and Wright, authors of the bestseller, The Happy Sleeper, reveal just how wrong we’ve all been about teens and sleep. Their new book discusses how to build healthy habits, advocate for change, and navigate the storm together with your teen through collaboration and communication.’
Motherwell
Praise for The Happy Sleeper:
‘Clear a space on your bookshelf! You’ll be consulting this friendly, research-based guide to the blessings of sleep for you and your little ones for many years to come.’
Adele Faber, co-author of How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
Praise for The Happy Sleeper:
‘An important resource for parents seeking to give their children a lifetime of quality sleep. Good sleep habits are vital to child development and overall health, and The Happy Sleeper offers real-world strategies for getting children the sleep they need.’
David M. Cloud, CEO of National Sleep Foundation
Praise for Now Say This:
‘Instantly useable. Their practical and compassionate method gets you unstuck from difficult parenting moments and gives kids the tools to grow into responsible, emotionally savvy adults.’
Lori Gottlieb, LMFT, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
