Kids and Sleep...Are you getting enough?

Our school will be starting Jump Rope For Heart in the month of October. This is a program created by the American Heart Association to help raise money for kids who have special heart conditions.  Our local AHA representative emailed the following information to all teachers today for us to share with parents and families in our newsletters. I thought I would post this on the blog as well.  This is an interesting article about children and how much sleep they need each night.

The Nine Hour Rule: Kids and Sleep

Sleep is like food for the brain. And just like food, sleep gives your child energy. During sleep, their bodies grow and recover from the day’s activities. Sleep is important for everyone—especially kids. It’s not just about feeling grumpy or dozing off in school. Lack of sleep can actually lead to serious health problems.


When kids don’t get enough sleep, they can be moody and perform poorly. They might fall asleep in class and fall behind on their homework. They’ll have less energy for sports and other physical activities. And when they’re tired or low on energy, they’re more likely to choose unhealthy foods or snacks. That means getting the right amount of sleep could actually help your child eat better.


Here are some tips for helping your children get at least nine hours of sleep each night. Help them build a routine—and stick with it. Then, ask them how they feel when they get their rest compared to when they don’t.


Step it Up : To help kids get used to earlier bedtimes and more rest, add 15 minutes of sleep time each night until they’re sleeping at least nine hours.


Wind Down : Stick to quiet, calm activities before bedtime, and your kids will fall asleep much more easily. Avoid TV, computers and telephones during the hour before bed. Don’t leave homework for the last minute. And don’t eat, drink, or exercise within a few hours of bedtime.


Fill In the Naps : If you plan them right, naps can help boost your child’s energy during the day. Naps that are too long or too close to bedtime can interrupt their regular sleep.


Dream Makeover : Make your child’s bedroom the perfect places to relax and sleep. Keep the room cool, quiet and dark. You might even want to install window shades or blackout curtains. Let in bright light in the morning to help them wake up.

This information is provided by the American Heart Association

I hope each of you are getting the right amount of sleep each night. It will help you be a better student and a healthier person!

Posts on Mrs. Staton's SuperStars may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of Mrs. Staton's SuperStars. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.