EdTalk | Do better sleep habits mean better grades at school?

Does getting enough sleep make you smarter? Not exactly. But over the years, research has consistently linked getting a good night’s sleep to greater success at school. That is because a well-rested brain is far more capable of retaining information and consolidating memories. A lot of factors determine academic success, but being able to remember what you learned is surely one of the most important.

Both the quality and quantity of sleep are key to imparting the benefits of sleep to a growing, learning brain. Sleep quality refers to an undisturbed sleep in a comfortable, healthy environment. A cool, dark room with adequate clean bedding creates a good physical space for sleep. Children need to experience the full cycle of sleep stages for optimal health, so waking them in the middle of the night, intentionally or unintentionally, should be avoided.

Sleep quantity refers to how many hours of sleep a child gets per night. Your paediatrician can provide you with the most recent recommendations for the optimal number of hours your child needs. Daytime naps, while important to very young children, do not figure into night-time sleep hours for older children. In fact, unhealthy nap habits can lead to a vicious cycle of later bedtimes, poor night-time sleep quality, difficult morning wake-ups and long groggy days.

Going to bed and waking up

It is no coincidence new studies reveal that when you go to bed and when you wake up are also as important as how much sleep you get. Research shows that children who go to bed earlier simply do better at school. Those who go to bed earlier also tend to have better quality of sleep, with less waking in the night and more restorative sleep. Some parents assume that a child who goes to bed later will just sleep in later, but this not the case. Even when children are left to wake on their own, they rarely get enough sleep.