Studies show sleep impacts your teen's learning and memory (January 2012)
Posted by Derek Cook at 1/31/2012 7:00:00 AM
For years, researchers thought that the older people get, the less sleep they need. But recently, they have discovered that it simply isn't true--especially when it comes to teenagers. Teenagers actually need as much sleep as young children!
Teenagers need about nine hours of sleep each night, but most high school students only get about seven. This is a concern because lack of sleep affects learning and memory--which in turn affects teens' school success.
Of course it's important to get a good night's sleep before a test. But it is equally important to get a good night's sleep after learning something new. While sleeping, the brain categorizes the new information, making it easier to remember.
To help your teen get enough sleep, suggest that he/she:
Stick to a routine bedtime. Experts suggest 10 p.m. Tell them to dim the lights about an hour before bed to get their bodies ready to sleep.
Make their room "sleep friendly". Keep the temperature cool. Turn off all music. Keep the computer and TV out of their room. Place the cell phone and charger in the kitchen at night.
Don't oversleep on the weekends. If your teen usually gets up at 6 a.m. on weekdays, don't let them sleep until noon on Saturdays. That extra sleep confuses the body. One to two hours of extra sleep is plenty.
Taken from the March 2012 edition of High School Parents Still Make the Difference, Vol 19, No. 7
