The Power of Sleep for Learning

Sleep and memory experts have long known that sleep offers benefits for learning, but not just any sleep. The sleep that helps your child perform better in the classroom is called REM sleep, deep sleep characterized by rapid eye movements. Throughout the night, we tend to alternate between memory-boosting REM sleep and non-REM sleep every 90 minutes or so. During REM sleep, your child’s brain can actively process the day’s events, strengthen memories and possibly gain new insights about learned activities. Read on for five ways you can help your child get enough memory-enhancing REM sleep.

1. Get enough hours of sleep

The amount of sleep your child needs each night depends on their age. According to the National Sleep Foundation, current recommendations range from 10 to 13 hours for preschool children, 9 to 11 hours for older children, and 8 to 10 hours for teens.

2. Stick to a routine

Going to bed and waking up at the same time, even during the weekends, supports your child’s natural 24-hour circadian rhythm and helps shape a solid sleep-promoting schedule.

Avoid the temptation to make up for lost sleep by sleeping more on the weekend. It doesn’t work that way. Worse, it makes it harder to wake up during the week.

3. Keep the bedroom cool, dark and quiet

Make sure your child’s bedroom has the basics for a comfortable night’s sleep: cool temperature, dark room and minimal noise.

4. Keep electronics and LED lights out of the bedroom

Electronics and artificial lights emit blue light. Light in this wavelength can trick the brain into thinking it’s daytime, which can lead to sleep problems.

Sleep experts at the National Sleep Foundation agree that screen time too close to bedtime not only makes it difficult for kids to fall asleep, it can also rob them of the much-needed total hours of sleep.

Aim to turn off the television and other electronics at least one hour before bedtime. Hint: You may need to start with 10 or 20 minutes and build up from there.

5. Limit fluids after dinner

This will help reduce the need to wake up for those midnight trips to the bathroom. Should nature call, consider using a night-light to help guide the way.

For more tips on promoting a happy slumber for kids, check out our book Eating for A’s (second edition). In the meantime, did you know that sleep problems are relatively common in children and can seriously affect their thinking, emotions, and behaviors?

Lack of sleep not only makes kids tired but also makes it difficult for them to pay attention, think clearly, control their impulses, and manage their emotions.

In fact, a child who doesn’t get enough sleep may show signs similar to ADHD.

In other words, being tired, distracted and cranky is a serious barrier to effective learning. Yet, the fix could be as simple as making sure your child gets an extra 30 minutes of nightly sleep.

It’s easy to see that sleep is important for a child’s brain development and school success, making it well worth the effort to prioritize.

Here’s to restful REM sleep for learning!

The EatingFor Team