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Sleep

Benefits of Sleep

Sleep is a critical and often under-appreciated aspect of well-being affecting academics, behavior, and emotional health. Proper sleep is associated with better health, attention, learning, memory, and quality of life, making it a critical performance enhancer. Conversely, a lack of sleep is associated with deficits in these capacities as well adverse physical health. Both the hours and quality of sleep are important in maintaining vitality. To help determine your child's quality of sleep, ask yourself the following:

  • Is it hard to wake my child in the morning?
  • Does my child have difficulty focusing during the day?
  • Has my child dozed off during the day?

Source Credit: US National Library of Medicine, National Sleep Foundation, Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine and the Center for Disease Control.


Recommended Hours of Sleep

The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine recommends the following sleep durations:

  • Children 3 to 5 years of age: 10-13 hours
  • Children 6 to 12 years of age: 9-12 hours
  • Teenagers 13 to 18 years of age: 8-10 hours
  • Adults: 7-8 hours

Source Credit: The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine

Health Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Not getting enough sleep, or sleep deprivation, can adversely affect children's mental and physical health. Mentally, a lack of sleep can affect a child's mood, leading to possible:

  • Irritability
  • Problems with relationships
  • Anxiety
  • Depression

Physically, not getting enough sleep can also mean that children may lack the hormones needed to help them grow and build muscle mass, fight infections, and repair cells. Over time, chronic sleep deprivation can also increase risk of:

  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Kidney disease
  • Obesity
  • Type 2 diabetes

Developmental Sleep Considerations

For Children:

  • Gradeschool children need around 9-12 hours of sleep per night.
  • Behavior and emotional difficulties may manifest with lack of appropriate sleep.
  • It is important for children develop consistent sleeping patterns (see right for tips).

For Adolescents:

  • During the teenage years, the circadian rhythm, or biological clock, is shifted such that teens do not become tired until later in the evening and wish to sleep later in the morning.
  • Not allowing for proper sleep can lead to behavioral and academic problems, car crashes, and the over-use of caffeine and other stimulants.
  • Teenage students have competing demands between sleep, school, and extracurricular activities leading 7 out of 10 high school students to not get enough sleep.
  • One tool to make sure sleep is honored amid the array of various activities is to chart the time devoted to the week’s events, delegating around 9 hours for sleeping each day. Download and fill in the event chart below to plan for proper sleep!

Source Credit: CDC.gov

Time Management Chart for High School

Download and fill-in the chart to see a breakdown of your or your high school student's week. Populate each box and the grand totals will calculate at the bottom of the form.

Time Management Chart

 

Scientific Benefits of a Good Night's Sleep 

Tips for Optimal Sleep

Preparation for a good night's sleep can begin by developing healthy habits throughout the day. Children may experience better sleep after a day when they:

  • Get outside to be exposed to bright light in the morning
  • Avoid consuming caffeine
  • Avoid large meals and beverages late at night
  • Exercise regularly, though not too late in the evening
  • Limit evening activities and provide time to relax before bed

Children may experience better sleep from evenings in which they:

  • Go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday
  • Create a wind-down routine including relaxing activities like reading
  • Turn off electronics at least a half-hour before bed to reduce blue light which blocks the release of sleep-inducing melatonin
  • Leave phones out of the bedroom
  • Turn down the lights
  • Take a warm bath or shower
  • Keep the temperature in the bedroom cool
  • Limit light and make the bedroom as quiet as possible

IMPORTANT! 

Consult your pediatrician for your child’s specific sleep needs.