Sleepy school children make crabby classmates, while students who get plenty of sleep are better behaved, according to a new study published this week in the journal Pediatrics.
Leslie Wade at CNN reports on a study that every parent everywhere already knows:
Teachers – who didn’t know the sleep status of the students – reported significant differences in how the children behaved and coped with everyday challenges. Students who were sleep-deprived not only seemed overly tired, but were more impulsive and irritable than their well-rested classmates. They were quick to cry, lose their tempers or get frustrated.
The children who got plenty of sleep had a better handle on their emotions and were more alert in class.
Wade offers these tips to parents to get their kids to bed at a reasonable bedtime:
– About a half hour before bedtime, have your kids start winding down – put down the electronic devices, turn off the TV and shut down the computer
– Have a consistent bedtime and wake time and try to make this apply to the weekends as well
– Be good role models for your children. Go to bed at a reasonable time and talk to them about the importance of sleep
Good advice!
Read article:
Read abstract from Pediatrics: