“Lots of things happen during sleep,” explains Helene Emsellem, director of The Center for Sleep and Wake Disorders in Chevy Chase, Md. “We don’t just physically restore ourselves.” We also process all the information we’ve gathered during the day. “We take the information and organize it and make all the connections,” Emsellem explains. Without adequate sleep, students don’t learn as well.
This excerpt is taken from a study shared on NPR this week which highlights the need for sleep with students. Although the focus is high school age children, we know this is true for all learners — no matter their age.
At school we notice that children who are sleep deprived not only are more distracted and miss valuable instruction, they also perform poorly on assessments. In addition, they are more irritable which leads to problems with peers.
As you prepare your child for the new school year, make a pledge to focus on healthy sleep habits!