On the night before a big test, make sure your high school student gets at least seven hours worth of sleep. While that is less than what is currently recommended as adequate rest, a new study finds that 16 to 18 year olds perform better academically just under that amount
It has been estimated that up to 10% of school children suffer from sleep disturbances. An insufficient amount of sleep leads to poor school performance and lower grades. There also tends to be behavioral problems in children who don’t get enough sleep. And teens who drive to school are at greater risk for accidents when they are drowsy.
Eric Eide and Mark Showalter with Brigham Young University analyzed data collected from a sample of just over 1,700 students. They compared the amount of sleep they got and how they scored on standardized tests. The optimal amount of sleep for a 10-year-old is 9 to 9.5 hours. For a 16-year-old in high school, the magic number is 7 hours of sleep.
The American Psychological Association finds today that most teens only get about 6.5 hours each school night, so just an additional 30 minutes can mean a great deal for improving academic performance. Since sleeping later in the morning is not typically an option, adjust bedtime gradually until your teen goes to bed a half an hour earlier. If your teen has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, the National Sleep Foundation has these pointers:
· Encourage your teen to keep a sleep diary. He or she may be able to pinpoint what is keeping them up at night.
· Establish a home environment conducive to good sleep. Keep room temperature slightly cool, eliminate loud noises, and turn off the television and computer.
· If late afternoon activities seem to keep your child from being able to fall asleep, see if it is possible to move some of these to the weekend instead of on a school night.
· Avoid caffeine (ie: soft drinks, energy drinks, coffee or tea) late in the day.
· Consult a physician if you think a medical issue is keeping your teen from getting enough rest.
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