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Sleep and Learning Go Together

Did you know that sleep and learning go together?

“Lots of things happen during sleep,” explains Helene Emsellem, director of The Center for Sleep and Wake Disorders in Chevy Chase, Md. “We don’t just physically restore ourselves.” We also process all the information we’ve gathered during the day. “We take the information and organize it and make all the connections,” Emsellem explains. Without adequate sleep, students don’t learn as well.

This excerpt is taken from a study shared on NPR this week which highlights the need for sleep with students.  Although the focus is high school age children, we know this is true for all learners — no matter their age.

At school we notice that children who are sleep deprived not only are more distracted and miss valuable instruction, they also perform poorly on assessments.  In addition, they are more irritable which leads to problems with peers.

As you prepare your child for the new school year, make a pledge to focus on healthy sleep habits!

 

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Best Preparation for School: SLEEP

Sleep RecomIf you check on count down widget to the right, the start of school is quickly approaching.  To help your children prepare for the early wake-ups and days full of learning (sometimes followed by dance, music and athletic activities), work on developing a sleep schedule that involves earlier bedtimes.

Dozens of studies are demonstrating that the most significant impact of poor sleep habits is school academic performance.  As educators, we see how lack of sleep leads to poor concentration, lower test scores and emotional/behavior issues.  For more details on these studies, visit this USA TODAY SLEEP ARTICLE.