| Busy Kids | | | | Improve Grades |
| In today's society the temptation is to keep our | | | | It should be no surprise that the quality of |
| kids busy all the time. My wife and I have been | | | | children's grades relate to the quantity of their |
| guilty of that ourselves. But it is so important to | | | | sleep. Several studies have shown a strong |
| build downtime into both ours and our children's | | | | correlation between performance in school and |
| schedules. It is necessary for healthy | | | | sleep schedule. Kids that get less sleep have |
| development of the body and the mind. | | | | worse grades. |
| | | | In some studies the difference in sleep is not that |
| Some people need less sleep than others and you | | | | large between the 'A and B' student's and the 'C |
| need different amounts of sleep at different | | | | and below' students. Some studies show that the |
| points in your life. For kids, sleep is incredibly | | | | average difference between these groups of |
| important for their mental and physical | | | | students is only about 30 minutes of total sleep |
| development. | | | | time. This suggests that a little extra sleep goes a |
| Recharge the batteries | | | | long way. |
| Sleep is literally a time for the brain to recharge. | | | | An important factor that many parents may not |
| Just like a rechargeable battery is 'filled up' again | | | | have considered is the bedtime delay between |
| by putting it on the charger, so does sleep | | | | school nights and weekends. Weekend delay is a |
| recharge our brains. Activity during the day | | | | factor in school performance as well. Students |
| actually uses up brain molecules required for | | | | that have greater than a two-hour difference |
| signaling and processing thoughts. These molecules | | | | between school night and weekend performance |
| are remade during sleep to fill the reservoir back | | | | typically have worse grades than students who |
| up for use the next day. | | | | have a 1-hour delay or less. |
| Studies show that growth hormones in the brain | | | | The shift in the sleep cycle can throw the |
| are at lower levels after sleep deprivation. These | | | | circadian rhythm off and effect neurochemicals |
| hormones are necessary for allowing the brain to | | | | that control attention and learning. Also, as |
| create new connections during learning and they | | | | discussed above, poor sleep on the weekends will |
| help maintain the connections already there. Sleep | | | | impede consolidation of what was learned during |
| regenerates these in the brain, allowing enhanced | | | | the week. |
| performance the following day. | | | | Improve Mood |
| Improve Memory | | | | The interaction between sleep and brain chemistry |
| In addition to sleep effecting how you perform | | | | applies for mood as well. There are complex |
| the next day, sleep also effects how well you | | | | systems of neruochemicals and hormones that |
| learned the previous day. Huh? How can a good | | | | regulate our mood. This has been a hot topic of |
| night of sleep affect what you learned the day | | | | research science for decades. We have made |
| before? | | | | significant progress on understanding the system |
| Sleep is the time that memories are consolidated | | | | but are still really only scratching the surface. |
| and strengthened. Even though your kids may get | | | | Sleep and the circadian rhythm impact have a |
| a good night sleep before school, they will retain | | | | huge effect on this system and our mood. In |
| what they learn in school if they get another | | | | some cases, lack of sleep can simply lead to |
| good night sleep after school. | | | | irritability and lack of patience. In other cases it |
| Studies show that the brain actually replays | | | | can contribute to more serious mood disorders, |
| activities of the day during sleep and that this | | | | like depression. |
| replaying strengthens the ability to recall the | | | | Every parent knows that when their kids don't |
| experience. This applies to academic and physical | | | | get enough sleep they are cranky. Sometimes |
| experiences. Meaning that sleep helps consolidate | | | | when they get too tired, they get down right |
| 'muscle memory' from motor skills practiced that | | | | nasty and unreasonable. We have all dealt with |
| day as well intellectual memory. Whether it's | | | | this. Well, there is a lot of neurochemistry going |
| playing sports, playing a musical instrument, or | | | | on behind the scenes in these cases. Lack of |
| learning math, the skills are enhanced by sleep. | | | | sleep disrupts brain serotonin levels, which play a |
| In a related study, researchers took two groups | | | | major role in sleep and mood. |
| of people, taught them an identical task, and | | | | How much sleep is enough? |
| tested them on it three days later. One group | | | | Total sleep is important and we, as parents, |
| was sleep deprived the night after they learned | | | | should ensure that our kids get to bed early |
| the task and the other group was not. Both | | | | enough to get sufficient sleep. The amount of |
| groups got adequate sleep for two more nights | | | | time needed is variable from age to age and child |
| so that neither was sleep deprived on the day of | | | | to child but most parents have a feel for what |
| testing. | | | | their kids need. Typically, school age kids need |
| The group that did not get enough sleep the night | | | | more than 8 hours of sleep to perform optimally. |
| after the task, performed much more poorly on | | | | Most kids need 9-10 hours per night. |
| the test than the other group the received | | | | Again, studies show that kids with greater |
| adequate sleep after learning. This demonstrates | | | | differences between their school night bed time |
| again that consolidating experiences the night after | | | | and weekend bedtime have more daytime |
| learning is just as important as getting adequate | | | | sleepiness, greater depressive moods and more |
| sleep before learning. | | | | sleep cycle problems. |
| Sleep set's your kids up for a successful day by | | | | Befriend the sandman and do what's necessary to |
| improving their attention and then it drives those | | | | get our kids in bed on time. Their brains will thank |
| experiences home by replaying them again. | | | | us for it. |