How Much Sleep Do You Need?

Last Updated: Sep 16th, 2012 - 13:30:27

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How Much Sleep Do You Need?
By Sarah Lane
Sep 15, 2012, 09:35 PST

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Eight Hours of Sleep, Do We Need It?

You may not, but your kids certainly do! Kids are more likely to pay attention during their early morning classes and are less accident prone if they have gotten a good night's sleep. So how long is enough? Take a look at these resources to get a better idea of what is best for your kid's age group.

Sleepy Teens May Not Make the Grade
"If your high schooler isn't pulling down the grades you'd like, maybe you should blame it on sleep deprivation, and not on a lack of effort."
Source: WomensHealth.gov

Neuroscience for Kids - Sleep
Take a look at this fun explanation of the benefits of sleep. Learn about the different stages of sleep, including slow wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM). See how sleep patterns change as people age, find out the theories on why we sleep in the first place, and try out some sleep experiments on your own.
Source: Dr. Chudler

What Sleep Is And Why All Kids Need It
Read this cute article with your kids to explain to them the importance of getting enough sleep. Also read “Why You Need Sleep,” “The Stages of Sleep,” “Dream a Little Dream,” and “How to Catch Your Z’s.”
Source: The Nemours Foundation

Sleep and School Performance
“Sleep is a complex process with many stages including drowsiness, moderate sleep, deep restorative sleep, and dream sleep.” Find out how an improvement in your child’s marks may be no further away than a good night’s sleep.
Source: WM Communications

Sleep, Sleep Disorders, and Biorhythms
The National Institute of Health has created a lesson plan to explore the issue of sleep with students in grades 9-12. Since this group is often severely deficient in sleep, this curriculum may help students understand the importance of a reasonable night's sleep.
Source National Institute of Health

About Our Kids
What is a normal sleep pattern? What can interfere with sleep? How do you identify sleep problems? Learn about nightmares, night terrors, and sleepwalking. Also get answers to some frequently asked questions about children and sleep.
Source: New York University Child Study Center

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