Sleep is important

By Charlie Swan, Instructor

We all know that sleep is important, and that we don’t obtain nearly enough of it. According to a national sample, 57.8% of middle school students and 72.7% of high school students are not getting enough sleep on school nights. Quality sleep is associated with brain development and executive function skills such as working memory, attention, and emotional regulation. Sufficient sleep can look different for every age group and there are interventions that can be applied to increase sleep quality. 

Sleep quantity

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends the following number of hours for sleep: 

• 11 to 14 hours of sleep (naps included)  for ages 1 to 2 years 
• 10 to 13 hours of sleep (naps included) for ages 3 to 5 years
• 9 to 12 hours for ages 6 to 12 years 
• 8 to 10 hours of sleep for ages 13 to 17 years
• 7 to 9 hours of sleep for ages 18-25

Quality matters, too

Quality of sleep is just as important as quantity. There are key markers to determine if your child is getting quality rest. Quality of sleep can be determined by how long it takes to fall asleep, frequency that one wakes up at night, and how one feels the following day. Signs of low quality sleep include falling asleep during the day, hyperactivity (younger children), trouble paying attention and difficulty with activities such as school work.  Poor quality of sleep can impact academics, grades and overall mental health.

High quality sleep, on the other hand, may help your child get up on time, as well as improve their concentration, problem-solving and other executive functioning skills. The benefits of sleep are numerous. For one, sleep is vital to growth. In addition, sleep is important for development. 

Practical Tips

Between school, homework, and other activities, obtaining the optimal quality and quantity of sleep can be a struggle. Here are some ideas that can help improve sleep patterns: 

• Pace homework: Cramming in homework/studying leads to a reduction in sleep. Instead, help your child dedicate chunks of time each day to getting homework done. Look at their after school/evening schedule together and determine optimal blocks for getting work done. Map out long-term assignments over multiple days. This can help your child avoid cramming and the sub-optimal sleep patterns that come with it.
• Wind down before bed: Easier said than done, but when homework is completed earlier, it will allow for downtime which will lead to better sleep. Create an evening/nighttime schedule collaboratively with your child. Be specific in mapping things out; Include target times for heading upstairs, brushing teeth, getting into bed, and reading a book. It is important, too, especially for younger kids, that you set an agreed-upon bedtime so everyone is on the same page about the expectations and target timeframe. 
• Turn off devices: Taking time to wind down and turn devices off before bed can increase quality of sleep. Instead of scrolling, help your child opt for reading a book or engaging in a more relaxed activity, like listening to calming music. This can help your child fall asleep faster and create a better sleep pattern. Consider shutting down devices an hour before an agreed upon bedtime and/or not allowing phones in bedrooms!
• Map out a morning routine: Create a morning routine collaboratively with your child. Morning routines are helpful as the child knows what to expect when they wake up the following morning, which may help them fall asleep at night. Morning routines may include specific times your child wakes up, showers, brushes teeth, eats breakfast and leaves the house. 
• Build anxiety-reducing outlets into the schedule: Reducing anxiety during the day is important to self-care and decreasing anxiety during the nighttime routines. Some ideas may include journaling, doing art, seeing friends, etc. 
• Get regular exercise: Building exercise into your child’s weekly routine can help improve sleep quality. The Sleep Foundation recommends regular physical activity, however, not excessive exercise as that may leave your child overtired at night. Setting specific times for exercise during the day is important. 
• Create a sleep-conducive environment: Creating a well-organized, sleep-conducive environment can aid in a better quality of sleep. Turn off electronics, make the room darker (can still include a nightlight), and remove possible distracters. These can all help your child obtain better quality sleep. 

Using these simple tips, you can help your child optimize both their sleep quality and quantity. While small adjustments might not feel like much, improving your child’s sleep patterns is actually one of the most impactful things you can do to help set your child up for success- academically and beyond.