Sleeping Beauty

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Last week we started to look at the importance of sleep for the educational and emotional well-being of our children. It seems appropriate to continue the discussion of sleep as we head into the fun and exciting, but somewhat loud and noisy, CNY weekend where a good night of sleep might be hard to find for a few days.

Here is some more information taken from the Internet about the importance of sleep for our students:

  • Getting too little sleep for several nights in a row disrupts hundreds of genes that are essential for good health, including those linked to stress and fighting disease. Tests on people who slept less than six hours a night for a week revealed substantial changes in the activity of genes that govern the immune system, metabolism, sleep and wake cycles, and the body’s response to stress, suggesting that poor sleep could have a broad impact on long-term well-being.
  • The lack of sleep affects the teenage brain in similar ways to the adult brain, only more so. Chronic sleep deprivation in adolescents diminishes the brain’s ability to learn new information, and can lead to emotional issues like depression and aggression.
So what steps can be taken to make sure our students get enough sleep throughout the busy and crazy schedule of this semester?
  • Take Charge: The most important step is for parents to take on the responsibility of making sure their children are getting the sleep they need (they won’t do it themselves). This is not easy in today’s connected world and high-pressure academics, but is vital to ensuring that they stay healthy and that they get the most out of school.
  • Set a regular bedtime. Going to bed at the same time each night signals to their body that it’s time to sleep. Falling asleep then becomes much easier.
  • Avoid stimulants. Encourage your student not to drink beverages with caffeine, such as soda and coffee, after 5 p.m.
  • Relax the mind. Avoid violent, scary, or action movies or television shows right before bed — this intense activity can postpone sleep significantly.
  • Set the Stage: Create an environment that helps them sleep (dark room, away from noise, cooler temps in the room, etc.).
  • No all-nighters. A student’s performance is negatively affected by the lack of sleep and will result in a poor performance on tests and assignments. An all-nighter can have lasting physical effects for up to 10 days.
For those interested to learn more, here is a link to an infographic that shows all the effects a lack of sleep does to a person.

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Dalat Director

Karl Steinkamp is passionate about Dalat International School and training up young people to make a positive impact on their world, walk with integrity, and follow Christ. Karl was a student at Dalat and returned with a degree in education as a student teacher, high school principal, and now Dalat Director since 2006.

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