Back to school, better life, academic performance for kids and sleep
August 2010

Getting a good night's sleep often comes down to technique. Avoiding late-night technology use and keeping a regular sleep schedule are two important techniques to heed as kids head back to school.

Recent studies found that adolescents used multiple forms of technology late into the night, including gaming systems, cell phones, and computers. As a result, they demonstrated difficulty staying awake and alert throughout the day.

"Any factor that deteriorates the quality or quantity of sleep will lead to difficulty with school performance and behavior problems," said William Kohler, MD, medical director at Florida Sleep Institute. "When children stay up late at night texting in bed or playing computer games, they are increasing their risk for neurocognitive problems."

According to research presented at SLEEP 2010, the 24th Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, having a regular bedtime was the most consistent predictor of positive developmental outcomes in four-year olds. In this 8,000-person sample, language, reading and math scores were higher in children whose parents reported enforcing regular bedtimes.

Disrupting the normal sleep pattern, whether with technology or not, can reset the brain's circadian clock. A common problem, staying awake late and "sleeping-in" on the weekends, can make it difficult to fall asleep and wake-up during the week, so it is important to maintain a consistent schedule all week long.

Kohler explained that the number of nightly sleep hours required by children varies by age. In general, five-year olds should get 11 hours of sleep, whereas nine-year olds need 10 hours and 14-year olds require only nine hours.

Parents can determine their children's individual sleep needs by helping them record their sleeping habits and issues in a sleep log. If the child is not alert and functioning properly during the day, sleep length should be gradually increased or decreased, or his or her bedtime routine should be adjusted.

For better sleep hygiene, Kohler recommended maintaining a routine bedtime pattern to prepare the brain for sleep. Exciting, high-energy activity should be avoided within one hour before lights-out.

Pre-bedtime activities like drinking milk, taking a bath, teeth-brushing, and reading a non-stimulating book will signal to the brain that it's time to sleep.

Exercise, caffeine, and sugary foods should be avoided. The ideal sleeping atmosphere is a dark, quiet room that is kept below 24 degrees Celsius. Technology should be removed from the bedroom.

Insufficient sleep and poor sleep habits have been linked to health problems such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, moodiness or irritability, reduced memory functioning, and delayed reaction time.

It is recommended that school-aged children get between 10-11 hours of nightly sleep, children in pre-school between 11-13 hours, and adults between seven to eight hours.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) offers some tips to help your child sleep better:

• Follow a consistent bedtime routine. Set aside 10 to 30 minutes to get your child ready to go to sleep each night.
   
• Establish a relaxing setting at bedtime.
   
• Interact with your child at bedtime. Don’t let the TV, computer or video games take your place.
   
• Keep your children from TV programs, movies, and video games that are not right for their age.
   
• Do not let your child fall asleep while being held, rocked, fed a bottle, or while nursing.
   
• At bedtime, do not allow your child to have foods or drinks that contain caffeine. This includes chocolate and sodas. Try not to give him or her any medicine that has a stimulant at bedtime. This includes cough medicines and decongestants.

The AASM offers the following tips for adults on how to get a good night’s sleep:

• Follow a consistent bedtime routine.
   
• Establish a relaxing setting at bedtime.
   
• Get a full night’s sleep every night.
   
• Avoid foods or drinks that contain caffeine, as well as any medicine that has a stimulant, prior to bedtime.
   
• Do not bring your worries to bed with you.
   
• Do not go to bed hungry, but don’t eat a big meal before bedtime either.
   
• Avoid any rigorous exercise within six hours of your bedtime.
   
• Make your bedroom quiet, dark and a little bit cool.
   
• Get up at the same time every morning.

It is important to make sure that your child gets enough sleep and sleeps well. The value of sleep can be measured by your child’s smiling face, happy nature and natural energy. A tired child may have development or behavior problems. A child’s sleep problems can also cause unnecessary stress for you and the other members of your family.

Parents who suspect that their child might be suffering from a sleep disorder are encouraged to consult with their child’s pediatrician or a sleep specialist.

Parents suffering from a sleep disorder themselves are encouraged to consult with their primary care physician or a sleep specialist.

Bibliography - Sources

1. Action for Healthy Kids
2. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)
3. National Sleep Foundation