Students that snooze grow
It is often the simplest things that have the greatest impact, and research is indicating that a good night’s sleep can greatly influence student achievement. Losing just one additional hour of sleep for most students is equivalent to losing two years of cognitive development so that a sixth grader with one less hour of sleep behaves and performs academically like a 4th grader.
Unfortunately, there is currently an epidemic of losing sleep caused in part by the increase of cell phones, tablets, and e-readers. While 90 percent of parents think their children are sleeping just fine, 60 percent of high schoolers report that they do not. Other factors contributing to less sleep include “over scheduling of activities, burdensome homework, lax bedtimes, and televisions in bedrooms” (NurtureShock: New Thinking about Children).
The use of devices before bed has multiple negative consequences. “The blue light emitted from our screens inhibits our melatonin levels—a chemical that effectively tells us that it’s time to nod off. It is also likely that social media use increases a person’s anxiety as the day goes on, making it hard to switch off when we finally go to bed.” Research on social media’s impact also indicates a connection to increased depression, anxiety and sleep deprivation. This creates a cycle of sleeplessness that research indicates doubles the rate of clinical-level depression in teenagers (NurtureShock: New Thinking about Children).
Photo courtesy jcomp
A lack of sleep also has negative physical effects including increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, poor academic performance, slower reaction times, risky behavior, and increased substance use.
Sleep is so important because, at night, the brain is actually decoding and processing information. Vocabulary is synthesized early in the night, enunciation motor skills are processed in stage 2 sleep, and auditory memories are encoded throughout the night. “We have an incendiary situation today where the intensity of learning that kids are going through is so much greater, yet the amount of sleep they get to process that learning is so much less.” Sleep helps students retain what they’ve learned, and it leads to them being more physically active during the day and more academically alert and engaged (NurtureShock: New Thinking about Children).
What can you do as a parent to help your children get the sleep they need?
Set healthy boundaries for your children of all ages by insisting on a few simple changes.
Elementary students require at least 10 hours of sleep, while older students need at least 8 hours.
To guarantee solid sleep, don’t let your child take their phone or e-reader into their room with them. Teenagers, especially, fall asleep slower than most people, and having their phones increases the likelihood of them staying on it much later than parents realize.
Create space before pre-determined bed times so that your students have at least a half hour with no screen time before they go to their rooms for sleep.
Written by Robb Warfield, Superintendent Dakar Academy Schools
Co-authored by Kristie Taylor, High School Principal