Now that school is back in session, the days of staying up late and sleeping until noon are over. It is time to get back into a routine. This includes a healthy sleep schedule.
According the the Centers for Disease Control, 57.8% of middle school students and 72.7% of high school students are not getting enough sleep on school nights. Students with sleep deficiency are at a higher risk for certain health problems such as obesity, diabetes and poor mental health. They are also more likely to have attention and behavior problems.
The American Academy of Sleep recommends that children ages 6-12 get 9-12 hours of sleep every night and that children ages 13-18 get 8-10 hours of sleep every night.
Between family time, homework and activities, this may seem unattainable. But the most important thing that you can do to encourage healthy sleep in your child is to model healthy sleep habits yourself. For example, try to stick to a regular sleep schedule and limit technology use before bedtime.
For more information on healthy sleep, click here.