Q: My college freshman developed bad sleep habits, such as staying up all night, while at school. Now that he is home for the summer, he is having a tough time getting into a normal sleep routine. What can he do?

It is normal, at his age, for him to be staying up late and sleeping late, said the panel.

“It won’t change until he has a reason to get up. It could be he feels he can be most productive when everyone else is asleep,” said Panelist Chad Stefanyak.

It is more important to makes sure he gets enough sleep, said panelist Denise Continenza.

“His sleep schedule may not fit in with the family schedule, but it won’t hurt him. These may be the last couple years of his life he can sleep in,” Stefanyak said.

He just needs to be quiet and respectful of other members of the family when they are trying to sleep, Stefanyak added.

It’s easy to get his circadian rhythm out of whack at that age, Continenza said.

“He needs to stay off of screens for an hour and a half before going to sleep. He needs to try to keep things low-key. He can put a notepad on his night stand so he can write things down and let them go,” Continenza said.

Another option is he could try training himself by getting up a little earlier each day, suggested panelist Pam Wallace.

Other suggestions include using sleep-aids like lavender or a white-noise generator.

“There are a number of sleep apps he can download,” added Wallace.

Another tactic is to “jump start” his circadian rhythm, said panelist Mike Daniels.

“He can force himself to stay up all night and go to bed at 7 p.m. the next night. The longest nap he can take is 20 minutes. It’s called prescribing the symptom. Our bodies are geared to getting into a rhythm and routine. When it gets disrupted it is stressful,” Daniels said.

However, he may fall back into his old routine, if he doesn’t have a reason to get up, Stefanyak warned.

“This is his lifestyle at this time,” Stefanyak said.

This week’s panel: Pam Wallace, program coordinator, Project Child, a program of Valley Youth House; Denise Continenza, extension educator; Chad Stefanyak, school counselor, and Mike Daniels, LCSW, Psychotherapist.

Have a question? Email: projectchild@projectchildlv.org

The Family Project is a collaboration of the Lehigh Valley Press Focus section and Valley Youth House’s Project Child.

The Times News, Inc., and affiliates (Lehigh Valley Press) do not endorse or recommend any medical products, processes, or services or provide medical advice. The views of the columnist and column do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Lehigh Valley Press. The article content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, or other qualified health-care provider, with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.