Meta description: Should students be able to stay up late? Will they interfere with their school and their study? We will be discussing this topic and how healthy habits and sleep can help students learn quickly at school.

Introduction

Researchers say that children in schools who stay up late have more trouble in school. As per a study, teachers say that students who got less than eight hours of sleep suffered the most as they had trouble remembering old course material, learning new lessons, and completing their work.

Lack of sleep leads to low performance

Lauren Reed, MD, a pediatrician at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, says that lack of sleep can lead to headaches, irritative behavior, poor judgment, and unsafe driving in teenagers. Over a long period, it can cause severe side effects and lead to chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular morbidity, poor immune system, obesity, and even type 2 diabetes.

Keeping that in mind, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine released its first-ever sleep guidelines:

• Babies – up to 4-12 months should get 12-16 hours of sleep per 24 hours.
• Children – 1-2 years of age must get 11-14 hours of sleep per 24 hours, while children 3-5 years of age must get 10-13 hours of sleep per 24 hours, and children 6-12 years of age must get 9-12 hours of sleep per 24 hours.
• Teenagers – 13-18 years of age must get 8-10 hours of sleep per 24 hours regularly for good health.

Tips for Families

Here are some tips for families.

Consistency is key: Create and stick to a bedtime routine that includes bathing, brushing teeth, putting on pajamas, and reading a book together. Make sure to have a routine that should not change, even on weekends.

Place gadgets in a different location: It may be difficult to put down smartphones and tablets, but they can disrupt their sleep and cause insomnia. It is easy to get distracted and prolonged browsing when you are on social media. Furthermore, their artificial light can potentially harm the sleep-wake cycle.

Cut the caffeine: Though soda and other sugar-rich caffeinated drinks aren't a favorable choice at any time, they're especially not suitable when a child is trying to sleep. If you decide to give them, make sure that you don't serve them until 4-6 hours before bedtime. Pick an alternative and give them water or milk instead.

Create a safe ambiance: A child's room should be suitable for sleep. Make sure the space isn't too hot or cold. You can use blackout curtains or blinds that will help them sleep easily. Although it might be tempting to do homework or watch television in bed, it should be used only for sleeping.

Conclusion

Following a particular pattern can help your child follow the body clock and help them enhance their ability to learn easily. Just like sleep deprivation can trigger anger and frustration in adults. Similarly, kids too can wake up cranky and irritated. Keep in mind that based on your child's age, they need a good amount of sleep for a healthy mind and body.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What can I do in the daytime to help my child sleep?

Here are some tips to improve your child's sleep at nighttime.

• Give your child a proper and healthy breakfast to kickstart their body clock.
• Encourage them to get as natural light as possible, especially in the morning.
• Motivate your child to be physically active.
• Avoid giving your child caffeinated or carbonated drinks such as tea, coffee, cola, etc., especially late afternoon/evening.
• Give him/her a happy, fulfilling meal at a reasonable time.

2. How to shift my child’s bedtime to an earlier time?

The best way is to change it gradually by starting at the current bedtime and then moving the routine 15 minutes earlier every two days. Almost all children will fall asleep within 20 minutes after going to bed.

3. How to stop my child from getting out of bed frequently at night?

If your child is getting out of bed frequently, make sure to do a bedtime check. Make sure they have done all the bedtime routines such as going to the toilet, having a drink, brushing their teeth, etc. Once your child is in  bed, let them know to lay down quietly until sleep. However, always go to your child if they need your help.

4. Why does my child wake up irritated?

The most likely reason your child gets up irritated is because he/she didn’t have a good sleep. But if your child is getting a good amount of sleep and is still waking up irritated, it means it is not good-quality sleep. If your child is feeling restless or is snoring, check with your GP.