From the Principal
The article below is about the importance of sleep for teenagers. The same thoughts & tips can be applied to our Primary age students.
The Importance of Sleep
Did you know that approximately 70% of teenagers experience insufficient sleep?
Most experts recommend 8-10 hours per night for our students, for optimal learning and mental health, but many children fall well below this. There is growing evidence that poor sleep among teenagers can negatively affect their mental health and even lead to the onset of mental illnesses later on in life.
Is your child getting the sleep they need?
Why sleep is important
Sleep plays a vital role in boosting immune function and helping us deal with stress. For our teens, getting enough sleep is important for:
- Learning and academic performance
- Mental health and resilience
- Behaviour and decision making
- Physical health
Top reasons teens don’t get sufficient sleep
The top four reasons students generally give for not getting the sleep they need are:
- Technology/FOMO (social media, gaming, Netflix, YouTube)
- Homework/study
- Time management/procrastination
- Stress
Also, teenagers are experiencing changes in their circadian rhythm (body clock). The hormone melatonin, which promotes sleep, is secreted later during puberty than in children and adults. This delay temporarily resets their circadian rhythm (which is like an internal biological clock), meaning your teen will want to go to bed later at night and get up later in the morning.
Key tips for improving your child’s sleep
- Have a conversation with your child around sleep and if they feel they get enough sleep.
- Discuss the impact sleep may be having on their learning and stress levels, along with their physical and mental health.
- Explore and then focus on their motivations for improving their sleep.
- Find out together what’s stopping them getting the sleep the need. Focus on 1-2 improvements they could make, under the key areas stopping them sleep.
For example: - Start to prioritise sleep and have a bedtime to aim for
- Have a one-hour break between study/use of electronics and sleep
- Make their bedroom an electronics free zone at night, including not relying on mobiles as an alarm clock
- Constantly assist your child to review their time management
- Encourage consistent bedtime during week and on weekends
- Implement a wind-down period and stress reduction techniques
For further information, see Smart Sleep Tips.