FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SUFFICIENT SLEEP IS AS IMPORTANT AS A HEALTHY BREAKFAST FOR BEST SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

National Sleep Foundation Urges Parents to Include Enough Time for Sleep in New School Year Schedule.

Washington DC, August 29, 2005 – The start of the school year impacts children of all ages, especially adolescents, who can lose as much as two hours of sleep on weeknights. Steven Brown, MD, of the Endeavor Center of Sleep Medicine in Mequon, agrees with these findings, which were published this summer in the medical journal, Pediatrics. Sleep deprivation can have serious consequences for children and adolescents alike. A good night’s sleep is as important to children as a healthy breakfast for best school performance, says the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).

According to NSF, too many school-age children get less sleep than experts recommend – about 9.25 hours/night for teens, and between 9-11 hours for younger children (5-12). (The recommended amount of sleep for the average adult is between 7-9 hours/night).

Insufficient sleep can be particularly difficult during childhood and adolescence. “When children and young adults don’t get enough sleep, it can affect their behavior as well as their performance in school and their social and recreational activities,” says Jodi Mindell, PhD of the Sleep Disorders Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Dr. Brown, a resident of Mequon, and the father of three teenagers, has observed, first-hand, the sleep requirements of adolescents.

Because of their unique changes in daily, circadian rhythms, teens experience special sleep challenges. “Phase delays” cause teens to feel alert late into the night resulting in a delay in falling asleep. In the mornings, their “body clocks” clash with their alarm clocks; they want to sleep later, but must get up early for school. It is not unusual for teens to be sleepy in their early morning classes.

In addition to impaired classroom performance during the first and second periods, Brown notes the increased risk for motor vehicle accidents as sleepy teens get into their cars and drive to those classes. “Impaired reaction times, as a consequence of inadequate sleep, place students at risk for injuries during physical education or industrial arts as well,” adds Brown.

“NSF’s 2004 Sleep in America poll found that many school-aged children leave their homes for school when they probably should still be sleeping,” says Richard L. Gelula, of the National Sleep Foundation. On average, the poll found that children ages 10 and under start off for school just after 7:30 a.m. “While younger children don’t experience the teens’ phase delay, they, too, suffer signs of sleep deprivation, because they are going to bed too late for the time they must get up in the morning,” Gelula added.

The NSF offers the following tips to parents and students:

  • Make sufficient sleep a family priority. Every family member must make a good night’s sleep a regular part of his/her daily schedule.
  • Encourage good sleep habits for all family members. These should include a nightly bedtime routine such as 15-30 minutes of relaxing, quiet activities immediately prior to bedtime, as well as regular (and appropriate) bed and wake up times.
  • Create a special comfortable place for sleep. The bedroom (or other sleeping quarters) should be cool, quiet, and dark. Televisions and computers should be placed in another room. Some children and teens find soft music helps them relax and get ready to fall asleep.
  • Achieve a balanced schedule. Identify and prioritize activities that allow for downtime and sufficient sleep time. Help students avoid an overloaded schedule that can led to stress and difficulty coping, which contribute to poor health and sleep problems.
  • Look for signs of sleep problems. The most common sleep problems in children include difficulty falling asleep, nighttime awakenings, stalling and resisting going to bed. Snoring, which can be a symptom of sleep apnea, is prevalent among children and teens. Excessive daytime sleepiness can be a symptom of a sleep problem such as narcolepsy. If your child exhibits any of these symptoms, discuss them with your doctor or other health care provider.

For more information about sleep-related issues, visit NSF’s website at www.sleepfoundation.org. Children ages 10 and under should visit the special NSF site, www.sleepforkids.org.

The National Sleep Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public health and safety by achieving understanding of sleep and sleep disorders, and by supporting sleep-related education, research and advocacy.

The Endeavor Center for Sleep Medicine (www.endeavortherapy.com) works with the National Sleep Foundation as a Community Sleep Awareness Partner to educate people in Southeast Wisconsin about the importance of sleep and the treatment of sleep disorders.

Contact
Karen Block
Phone: 262-241-8022
Email: karenb@endeavortherapy.com