Insights For Parents 3.1 - The Importance Of Sleep

Insights for Parents Provided by D-G Elementary in recognition of your role as a partner in education

David R. Hill, Principal

The Importance of Sleep Dear Parents, Once again this year, D-G Elementary is proud to provide Insights for Parents, a series of reports that will be sent home on an occasional basis to share useful information and resources for parent involvement. We hope you fill find Insights for Parents to be a useful tool in our parent-school partnership. How many hours of sleep does your child get each night? Now that the summer is over and the school year is in full swing, many children are still getting used to having an earlier bedtime and getting up earlier each morning to catch the bus or walk to school. This issue of Insights for Parents discusses the importance of ensuring that students have an adequate amount of sleep. It includes a recent article from the Waterloo Courier. I would like to thank Yvonne Keller of the Waterloo Courier for granting permission for us to reprint this article in its entirety. Sincerely,

David Hill, Principal

Students' daily assignment should be to get enough sleep By META HEMENWAY-FORBES, Waterloo Courier De'Quan Campbell's mom makes him go to bed at 10 p.m. on school nights. But the West High freshman doesn't fall asleep right away. In fact, he often stays up for several more hours --- sometimes until 2 a.m. --- watching TV. "My mom wakes me up at 6 a.m.," he said. "I'm not really that tired when I get up." But as the day wears on, Campbell admits he tends to get a little drowsy. Par for the course, say health experts. As the lazy days of summer grind to a halt and students head back to school, their sleep schedules transition from late nights and sleeping in to appropriate bedtimes and early morning starts. It's a tough adjustment, said Dr. Arla McVicker of the Covenant Clinic in Evansdale. "Summertime is synonymous with sleeping in. It may take a few weeks to break the cycle, but eventually they'll get up and won't feel sleepy," she said.

An appropriate bedtime is crucial to academic success, McVicker added, noting her own children are in bed by 9 p.m. on school nights. "Sleep deprivation affects everyone," she said. "Some kids fall asleep in class. For teens who are driving, they are more prone to accidents." While individual sleep needs vary, a good rule of thumb is 10-11 hours for gradeschoolers; nine to 10 hours for middleschoolers; and nine hours for high school students. A 2004 poll by the National Sleep Foundation found that first- through fifthgraders get about 9.5 hours of sleep. A 2006 NSF survey showed that adolescents get between 8.5 and 9.25 hours of sleep per night. Nearly half of the adolescents polled admitted to getting less than eight hours of sleep on school nights. (continued on the next page)

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TV was found to be a major sleep thief. According to the 2006 NSF poll, 43 percent of school-aged kids have TVs in their bedrooms. That's what keeps siblings and West High students Stevan and Jelena Krickovic from getting their fair share of Zs. The pair often stay up until 11 p.m. watching "Family Guy," in spite of their 6 a.m. rise and shine. "Sometimes I take naps after school," said Jelena, a junior. "I get a little tired after third period and sometimes after lunch," said Stevan, a freshman.

language arts instructor said students who aren't getting enough sleep often hit the wall after lunch. "They'll put their heads down on the desk, and you'll see lots of blinking and yawning," she said. "Either that or they start to talk too much to try and wake themselves up." During the first week of school, Infelt emphasizes to students the need for adequate sleep. Too little slumber results in poor performance, she said. McVicker of Covenant Clinic concurs. "Kids with adequate sleep do better in school. No child should be getting just seven to eight hours of sleep and expect to do well." - REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE WATERLOO COURIER

Sue Infelt has seen a lot of tired students in her 17 years as a teacher. The Bunger Middle School sixth-grade reading and

Help Your Child Get a Good Night's Sleep When parents and kids are busy dealing with the excitement of new classes, new teachers, new schedules, and new friends, it's easy to forget the importance of a good night's sleep. Students can find it difficult to get back to their school year sleep schedules after a summer of staying up and waking up at later hours. Back to school means resetting biological clocks to ensure sufficient sleep every night and a healthier, safer, and more productive school year. "It is important for children to have a healthy start to their school day and come to classes feeling awake and ready to learn," said Jodi Mindell, Ph.D., a nationally recognized expert in pediatric sleep and a member of the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) board of directors. Dr. Mindell noted that in addition to the health benefits of sufficient sleep, there are also safety issues." A recent study even shows there is a higher accident rate for children following any period of sleep loss," she added. To help parents, educators, and children plan a back to school sleep schedule, NSF offers the following tips that should be maintained throughout the school year. Establish a Regular Bedtime and Wake Up Time Parents and children should plan a daily schedule that includes the basic daily sleep requirements for particular age groups. This schedule should be maintained on the weekends, though students can be permitted to sleep in one or two hours on weekend mornings if necessary. While individual sleep needs can vary, the amount of sleep suggested by Dr. Mindell and other sleep experts for particular age groups is:

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Elementary School Students 10-12 hours/night Pre-teens (middle/junior high school) 9-11 hours/night Teens 8.5-9.5 hours/night

Remember to add 10-20 minutes to bedtime for falling asleep. Create a Bedtime Routine Bedtime routines are important, regardless of a child's age. It should include at least 15-30 minutes of calm, soothing activities. Immediately prior to bedtime, encourage quiet time with some relaxing activities. Discourage television, exercise, computer and telephone use, and avoid caffeine (found in beverages, chocolate and other products). Achieve a Balanced Schedule Identify and prioritize activities that allow for downtime and sufficient sleep time. Help students avoid an overloaded schedule that can lead to stress and difficulty coping, which contribute to poor health and sleep problems. Be a Role Model Parents and guardians can be role models for school aged children by establishing their own regular sleep schedule and a home environment conducive to healthy sleep habits