Lights out!

Research shows: 

• Children 6-13 years old require 9-11 hours of sleep each night. 
• Teens 14-17 years old require 8-10 hours of sleep each night.
• Young Adults 18-25 and the rest of us require 7-9 hours of sleep each night.

Are you getting enough sleep? Is your child? If so, awesome! Keep it going. If not, why not? 

Sleep helps our brain function at its best capacity. Getting enough sleep positively impacts learning, memory, decision-making and creativity. Without enough sleep, the ability to focus and maintain attention decreases which makes staying on task in school and completing homework significantly more difficult. Students today are busier than ever, but an overpacked schedule shouldn’t become an excuse for late nights. 

If your child isn’t getting to bed at a reasonable hour, help them figure out why, and then identify an appropriate intervention. Strengthening executive function skills can help. For example, help them create a daily homework agenda and weekly calendar to help plan and manage their time better. Preview what’s coming to help with transitions between activities and homework. And if getting started is the challenge, try some task initiation strategies like working in short bursts and using a timer. 

With more sleep, you’ll find a more engaged child with a spring in their step and the capacity to do their very best.