22 March 2021, Monday morning, term 2 is here! How are we doing? Are we all set for the new term? Have you made all your academic plans for the weeks that lay ahead? Have you taken a look back and analysed your progress from the past term?
Alright, we’ll hold our horses! Yes, we know that many of our students and parents out there might have already ticked off these boxes. To all of you, well done. (If you haven’t yet done all this, then there is adequate time to set things in motion even now)
But despite all this, you might still not be ready for the term that lays ahead. Apart from this rigorous planning and disciplined analysis, there are vital aspects that need to be tended to in our students. It’s time young students and parents became cognisant of an all-important element that can influence the future of our young ones. What is this all-important factor?
‘Sleep!’
Yes, you heard it right.
There ain’t no excuse good enough
Now, there might be many valid excuses for skipping the right amount of sleep occasionally. But, the truth is that there are really no valid excuses for skipping sleep. When it comes to kids, the factor of proper sleep time becomes all the more important. We can end up doing our kids a great favour going back to the old dictum of ‘early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise’.
What do the experts say?
The research in the domain of sleep and its significance in determining cognitive capabilities bring out results that cannot be neglected. The need for proper sleep among kids is always highlighted. The threats to cognitive abilities emanating from a lack of sleep as well as sleeping disorders appear to be quite significant.
Researchers at Coventry University have done substantial work in analysing the relationship between sleep and cognition. Their findings reveal that even mild sleep disorders can cause significant issues related to cognition and learning abilities in children. It was found that children with sleep disorders lag behind their counterparts right from the first moment they enter school. Around 20-30% of children have sleep-related disorders ranging from minor ones to severe ones. Around 3% face obstructive sleep apnoea disorder (OSA).
Sleep disorders are seen to push down the IQ levels of students and hinder them from realising their true potential. But. what can be done here?
The effects transcend domains
It is not just academic scores that end up getting impacted when sleep is not sound. With many sleep-related disorders, there is a dip in blood oxygen levels in the body during sleep. This has been linked to weaker expressive language skills, i.e. you find it harder to put your thoughts into the right sentences. The social behaviour of kids is also impacted by these disorders. Even attributes such as sharing and working as a team can get hit due to sleep issues.
The golden rule
The golden rule here is to identify. Parents need to be proactive and extra sensitive in this regard. Keep a watch over your child’s sleep. If you spot any disorder – this can be even snoring – then do not brush it aside or consider it to be of little significance.
There is a great deal that can be done with regard to the treatment of sleep disorders. The right care and attention are capable of producing results as well. The earlier that we are able to identify sleep disorders in our kids and get them the right care, the better are the prospects of improvement or catch-up in cognitive and other abilities.
Spread the word
Many of us are unaware of the prevalence and impact of sleep disorders. This is actually costing us, especially the younger generations, significantly. We need to address this deficiency of awareness. There needs to be more focus on sensitising people about these issues. At the individual level, we can all do our part in spreading the word. Schools and public institutions must also take a very proactive role here and help in increasing awareness on these issues as well as encouraging identification and treatment. It’s surely going to help that we have just celebrated World Sleep Day. Yes, there is such a thing. This day is celebrated on the Friday before the March equinox (March 19 in 2021). This year’s theme is ‘Regular Sleep, Healthy Future’.
Cut out the disturbances
We need to create conducive places for sleep in our homes. Parents need to ensure that the places where their kids’ sleep are free from disturbances that would disturb or prevent sound sleep. Also, make sure that kids do not carry their gadgets to their beds. Parents must instil in their their kids about the importance of sleep right from a young age and nurture a mindset in them whereby they become sufficiently responsible with their sleep habits.
It’s high time we decided to shine the spotlight on sleep. More focus on this can help us ensure that more people are able to realise their full potential and that our progress as a society is propelled further. Here’s to looking forward (and sleeping) to a better term ahead! 🙂
Understanding the Importance of Sleep!
Exam Smart Tips
Exam Smart Tip #1 – How to Encourage Our Kids to Speak Better?
Exam Smart Tip #2 – How to avoid carelessness?
Exam Smart Tip #3 – Establishing Routines!
Exam Smart Tip #4 – Let’s Read Carefully!
Exam Smart Tip #5 – Beating the Exam Fever!
Exam Smart Tip #6 – How to Eat Right for the Exams?
Exam Smart Tip #7 – How to Avoid a Meltdown?
Exam Smart Tip #8 – Taking Stress out of Tests
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