Distractions at bedtime are detrimental to school day
03-09-2010
School children in Scotland, will now have no excuse, if they ever fall asleep during lessons. The charity Sleep Scotland has been formed to teach children, who are getting as little as four or five hours sleep a night, to use that time responsibly and not watch television, game online or surf the internet. Due to this lack of sleep, children are underperforming in the classroom, and this is what Sleep Scotland is trying to combat.
Certainly 24 hour access to the internet does not help the situation, with online messaging, chat and other social sites causing children to stay awake. This begs the question, why keep such distractions in the bedroom? Around 8 in 10 children have a television set in their bedroom, with most of these connected to a games console and the internet in some way. Teenagers aged 12-18 are sleep deprived, which causes grumpiness and the stereotypical uncommunicative behaviour.
This is when Sleep Scotland formed, after the shocking results showed how children at a school in Glasgow who had as little as 4 hours sleep a night, couldn’t concentrate and function efficiently throughout their time at school. Informing about the importance of a good night’s sleep, and how this responsibility is key for the following day. Out of those that couldn’t function on little sleep, a 15 year school boy, went to bed an hour earlier, avoiding distractions and felt much more alert during the following day.
Certainly 24 hour access to the internet does not help the situation, with online messaging, chat and other social sites causing children to stay awake. This begs the question, why keep such distractions in the bedroom? Around 8 in 10 children have a television set in their bedroom, with most of these connected to a games console and the internet in some way. Teenagers aged 12-18 are sleep deprived, which causes grumpiness and the stereotypical uncommunicative behaviour.
This is when Sleep Scotland formed, after the shocking results showed how children at a school in Glasgow who had as little as 4 hours sleep a night, couldn’t concentrate and function efficiently throughout their time at school. Informing about the importance of a good night’s sleep, and how this responsibility is key for the following day. Out of those that couldn’t function on little sleep, a 15 year school boy, went to bed an hour earlier, avoiding distractions and felt much more alert during the following day.
More stories like this one
