Studies are showing not only that kids are getting less sleep than kids used to, but that even one hour of sleep loss dramatically affects a child or adolescent’s development in negative ways.
Surveys show that half of all adolescents get less than seven hours of sleep on weeknights, and that seniors in high school average only slightly more than 6.5 hours of sleep a night. Some may think this is “normal” and has always been the case with teenagers, but a handful of major studies document that children, from elementary school through high school, get about an hour less sleep each night than they did 30 years ago, even at 5 years of age.
Causes for this lost hour of sleep include overscheduled activities, burdensome homework, lax bedtimes, bedroom televisions, cell phones, and even guilt (of both the parents and the students).
What’s the big deal? First of all, a lost hour of sleep appears to impact children exponentially because their brains are a work-in-progress until the age of 21, and because much of that work is done while a child is asleep. Therefore, lack of sleep equals lack of brain development. Lack of enough sleep may cause permanent changes in a child’s brain structure and lead to developmental disabilities in adulthood.
In addition, Paul Suratt of the University of Virginia notes that his studies show, “Sleep disorders can impair children’s I.Q.s as much as lead exposure.” Every study done shows a similar connection between sleep and school grades.
The mountain of studies have convinced some school districts, such as the district of Edina, MN, to start school later in the morning. Results were startling, producing an average SAT score increase of more than 200 points just one year later – the top 10 percent averaging 1500.
In the meantime, many parents and youth organizations continue operating, oblivious to the effect that sleep schedule has on their students.
How does your church address the issue of sleep with its students? Do you think sleep is a part of an adolescent’s “spiritual formation?” How do you address this issue in your event or activity planning?
