Get Some Sleep!

            The amount of sleep you get can affect how well you learn. Children who are well rested tend to score higher on math and writing tests. Kids who do not get enough sleep have a harder time paying attention in class. This can affect future test performance.

        Lack of sleep can also affect your mood `and how you act, says Jodi Mindell, a sleep expert. “You’re most likely to be cranky if you don’t get a good night’s rest,” she says. “Sleep affects everything,”

Yolanda  Oredel and her classmates in fifth grade at Clara Barton Elementary School kept a sleep journal for a week. She said she was in better mood on the days she slept more. “I paid more attention in class too.”

             What is keeping kids up at night? One big sleep stealer is the use of electronics. More kids are using computers, playing video games, texting friends and watching TV at bedtime. “It’s a lot of bright light to your eyes at the time when your body needs dim light to help you feel sleepy,” explains Mindell.

             “It’s never too late to change your sleep habits. Put sleep on your to-do-list. Go to bed at the same time every night. Pull the plug on electronics in the bedroom. Try this challenge. Go to sleep early for a week, and then see how you feel. You will be stunned at the difference,” says Mindell

TFK, Sept 2011 issue