Get your children to bed on time

Younger students who sleep eight hours or less a night experience higher learning and attention problems in school, according to a recent study.

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The study was conducted in the classroom with teachers rating students' performances in several areas. The ratings were then compared to the number of hours the children were sleeping each night. It showed that students who had received eight hours or less received lower ratings in recalling old material, learning new lessons, completing high quality work, and staying focused in the classroom.

Investigators from Bradley Hospital and Brown University in Boston headed the research.

Lead researcher, Gahan Fallone, Ph.D., said although &to=http://english.pravda.ru/science/19/94/377/12003_sleep.html' target=_blank>sleep patterns of teens have been studied in the past, there have been few dealing with children directly. He also says all of the previous studies were conducted in laboratories. This study is unique in that it takes place in the child's natural setting, the classroom.

Although the study did not determine exactly how much sleep elementary and middle school children should get each night, it did show younger students who received more than eight hours had improved attention and work quality.

Fallone thinks with more &to=http://english.pravda.ru/main/18/90/361/16397_dolcegabbana.html' target=_blank>children being diagnosed with learning disabilities and attention disorders, teachers, doctors, and especially parents should be aware of their sleeping schedules.

For parents, Fallone believes the message is simple: "Getting your children to bed on time is as important as getting them to school on time," reports Ivanhoe.

According to MedPage Today, the study results showed that during the restricted period of sleep, the children were sluggish, not hyperactive or aggressive. Age was also not a significant factor in academic performance.

Children aren't getting enough sleep for the same reasons adults aren't getting enough, Dr. Fallone said. "We're a 24-hour society now," he said. "We're so hooked on being awake that sleep is just something that gets in the way." O.Ch.

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