The Importance of Sleep During the School Year
Babies are known for sleeping most of the day. It is important for them as they grow, but how important is sleep for older children, especially children in school? How do they lose sleep and how can you prevent your child from missing the sleep they need to succeed in school?
Getting plenty of sleep will not only have your child feeling refreshed in the morning, but will keep them healthy as sleep plays a large role in their overall health. They will be able to function well in the mornings and won’t need sugar packed iced coffees or energy drinks to wake them up.
Getting a full night of sleep will allow your child to pay better attention while in class. If your child is tired, it is easy for them to zone out while their teacher is giving a lecture, causing them to miss valuable information. There is also the chance they may fall asleep completely. This will throw off their sleep schedule as it will be more difficult for your child to fall asleep at night when they are supposed to be sleeping.
Technology is popular among children, especially teens. Taking away their phones or computers at night may seem harsh, but it will prevent your child from spending hours surfing the web or watching Netflix instead of sleeping. It will also prevent your child from waking up during the night from any calls, texts, or emails they receive. Limiting the use of technology in their bedroom, especially at night, will help them to sleep better. This also goes for television. Limit the amount of TV your children watch in the hours before bed.
It is important for your children to have their homework done early in the evening, especially if they have a lot of it. Waiting until later in the evening to do homework increases the chance of your child having to stay up late to complete their work and missing valuable sleep time.
It is a good idea to develop a nightly routine with your children before bed. An hour before bedtime, have your children put away electronic devices or turn off their television. Having them shower, brush their teeth and get their school things together for the next day are a great way to unwind and get read for bed. You can help your child get a better night’s sleep by also enforcing a bedtime appropriate for your child’s age. Having your child go to bed at the same time every night.
Sleep is important for children of all ages. Help make sure that your children are getting enough sleep by monitoring the use of electronics before bed and creating a nightly routine for them to follow. You will be able to rest easy knowing your children are sleeping well and succeeding in school because of it.