Sleeping difficulties are increasingly prevalent among adolescents worldwide and have negative consequences for adolescent health and education. The aim of this study was to describe the reasons for sleeping difficulties as perceived by adolescents. Sleeping difficulties include insufficient sleep, trouble falling asleep, waking up at night or sleep that does not leave an individual rested. Data were collected in 2015 using an open-ended question. The sample consisted of n = 475 adolescents from a city in Sweden, aged 15-16 years, with self-assessed sleeping difficulties. The results described the reasons for the adolescents' sleeping difficulties, at a general, thematic level, as an imbalance between requirements and preconditions, distributed to stress, technology use, poor sleep habits, existential thoughts, needs and suffering. To find a balance in their daily lives, adolescents may need support from parents, school nurses and school health services to deal with their sleeping difficulties.

Sleeping problems are increasing among adolescents worldwide. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of self‐reported sleep duration and sleeping difficulties, as well as to explore their associations with school stress, self‐perception, that is how adolescents perceive their appearance and happiness, and technology use among adolescents. Data were collected in 2015 using a questionnaire. A total of 937 ninth grade adolescents, 15–16 years, from a city in western Sweden participated, resulting in a response rate of 83%. The result showed that 55% of the adolescents slept less than the recommended 8 hours per night and 11% had sleeping difficulties. School stress and technology use were associated with short sleep duration. School stress and self‐perception were associated with sleeping difficulties. The girls had worse outcomes for sleeping difficulties, school stress, self‐perception and technology use than the boys. Based on the results, there is a need for school nurses to implement preventive measures to improve adolescents’ sleep.

Sleeping difficulties are increasingly prevalent among adolescents and have negative consequences for their health, well-being, and education. The aim of this study was to illuminate the meanings of adolescents’ lived experiences of sleeping difficulties. The data were obtained from narrative interviews with 16 adolescents aged 14–15 in a Swedish city and were analyzed using the phenomenological hermeneutic method. The findings revealed four themes: feeling dejected when not falling asleep, experiencing the night as a struggle, searching for better sleep, and being affected the next day. The comprehensive understanding illuminates that being an adolescent with sleeping difficulties means it is challenging to go through the night and to cope the next day. It also means a feeling of being trapped by circumstances. As the adolescents’ lived experiences become apparent, the possibility for parents, school nurses, and other professional caregivers to support adolescents’ sleep increases.

Sleeping difficulties among adolescents constitute a pressing public health issue, and it is of the utmost importance that these are approached from a health-promotion perspective. This study explores adolescents’ suggestions on how their sleep could be supported. Data were collected via eight focus group interviews with 43 adolescents aged 15–16, in Sweden, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The results describe the adolescents’ suggestions on how their sleep could be supported in three themes: being supported by involved parents— routines, engagement, and warmth are vital; being supported to achieve knowledge on the “whys” and “hows” of sleep—increased knowledge gives the ability to make well-grounded sleep choices; and being guided into finding balance—balance in life is difficult to achieve and adolescents desire support. Parents, school nurses, health professionals, and anyone who has the opportunity to improve and promote sleep should consider adolescents’ suggestions.

Ungdomars sömnsvårigheter påverkar deras dagliga liv: de upplever sig som en sämre version av sig själva efter för lite sömn. Svårigheten att somna beskrivs bero på skolstress, oro, bristande rutiner och en ovana av att vara i tystnad. För att han- tera sina sömnsvårigheter önskar ungdomar involverade föräld- rar, att bli genuint lyssnade till och individuellt guidade.