Sleep is one of the most important contributors to physical and mental health! For students, sleep is crucial and affects learning and academic performance. Canadian statistics are quite shocking: 1 in 4 children are not getting enough sleep, 1 in 3 have trouble going to sleep, and 1 in 5 have trouble staying awake during the day. Experts recommend that children aged 5-13 get 9-11 hours of sleep per night and youth and young adults aged 14+ get at least 8-10 hours.
Sleep improves:
- Attention and Focus: Students who are well-rested are more likely to stay focused and engaged in class, complete assignments efficiently, and perform better on exams.
- Memory Consolidation: During sleep, the brain consolidates and strengthens learning and memory. This process is vital for retaining new information, such as facts, concepts, and skills.
- Cognitive Function: Sleep is essential for maintaining optimal cognitive function. Lack of sleep can impair attention, concentration, and problem-solving abilities. Adequate sleep supports overall cognitive performance, which is crucial for academic success.
- Learning and Creativity: Quality sleep is linked to enhanced creativity and problem-solving skills. It allows the brain to make connections between seemingly unrelated pieces of information, fostering creativity and innovative thinking.
- Emotional Regulation: Sleep plays a significant role in emotional regulation. Lack of sleep is strongly linked with mood swings, irritability, and stress among students.
- Improved Behaviour: For children with ADHD, sufficient sleep has been shown to reduce the incidence of erratic, impulsive behaviours and supports attention and focus.
- Executive Function: Quality sleep is associated with better prefrontal cortex function and improved planning, organization, and time management skills such as studying, assignment completion, and managing a busy schedule.
- Brain Development: Sleep is particularly important for young people, as their brains are still developing. The adolescent brain undergoes significant changes, and proper sleep is crucial for healthy brain development, including the formation of neural connections.
Sleep is a fundamental component of overall well-being and is intricately connected to consistent academic performance.
Here are some ways that you can help your student improve their sleep habits:
- Teach your child about the benefits of sleep and encourage them to go to bed at their ideal bedtime. This may be different for each student depending on their physical needs and morning schedule.
- Make sure your child or young adult turns off all screens an hour before bedtime and doesn’t sleep next to a mobile phone. Screen activities are mentally stimulating and inhibit the production of melatonin, a sleep hormone that helps us feel drowsy.
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine in the home, and lead by example by ensuring that you, too, prioritize sleep.
- Make sure your student is physically active. In addition to the benefits of physical activity for learning, being active also promotes better sleep.
- If falling asleep is a challenge, consider exploring different relaxation techniques such as mindfulness and progressive muscle relaxation.
