Sleep Health Foundation research found the average teenager only gets between 6.5 and 7.5 hours of sleep a night, well under the recommended 8 to 10 hours.

The report, Sleep and mental well being: exploring the links, found rates of depression, anxiety and low self-esteem were higher among sleep-deprived teens.

Ballarat Health Services senior clinical psychologist Karyn Newnham said sleep was the building block to all mental health and was vital to getting the most out of life. 

The report revealed two thirds of teenagers reported at least one symptom of a sleep disorder, such as insomnia. 

Sleep disturbances among adolescents can affect their ability to regulate emotions, with associations to suicidal thoughts and actions.

Caffeine, screen time and stress were found to be key problems keeping young people awake. 

But there are behavioural changes that can help improve quality and length of sleep. 

“Having routine and sticking to it consistently helps your body to know when it can relax and go into the sleep cycle,” Ms Newnham said.

Teenagers who stopped using their phones one hour before bedtime gained one hour and 45 minutes extra sleep over a school week.

Avoiding evening stimulants and relaxing before bed can also help teens get more quality shut-eye. 

Being active during the day and setting up a comfortable sleep environment can also help improve sleep quality. 

For clinical sleep problems, specific interventions delivered by trained health professionals are likely to provide the most effective treatment

“GPs can help and direct parents to community psychology support,” Ms Newnham said.