ZZZZZZZZZZ

When I was teaching, one of the more frustrating things that occurred was the sleeping student. Some were pretty savvy, holding a book in front of their face and dozing in a sitting position. Others would nod off, head hitting the desk with a thunk and all attention diverted from me to the newly awakened individual. The last types were the most infuriating . Arm slung over the desk, head down, sound asleep. Some drooled. Some talked in their sleep. Some Snored. A few would not wake up until late into the next hour, look around and notice no one familiar. Usually they were furious with me for "making them late" to their next class. Small recompense but I usually had a smile on my face as I watched them stomp out.

There are so many negatives about napping during a class. The first and most obvious is, what is missed during the hour. Lectures, discussions, reviews, assignments...ZZZZZZ. Another downside is the student-teacher relationship. I was always pretty insulted when an individual so little valued what transpired in my class. Also that they were so disrespectful as to sleep in front of me. Common sense says, at least look interested for positive student-teacher interaction.

60% of teens admit to being sleepy during the school day. Why? Jobs, for one thing. Many of my students worked shifts at fast food restaurants that did not end until midnight. There are after- school practices, TV's in the bedroom and an online social life that keeps kids connected 24/7. After children reach their teens, many homes choose to not structure dinnertime, homework, social interaction and bed times. "It's a School Night" has gone the way of black and white TV's and family dinners.

Recent studies have shown that kids today are getting about an hour less sleep than they did 30 years ago.And that decrease in the amount of time spent sleeping can lead to an increase in several problems. "One hour less per night of sleep on a chronic basis can really make a difference on the way the body works," says Dr Ana Kreiger, director of NYU Sleep Disorder Center.

Students who experience even slight sleep deprivation can feel the effects in the classroom. For example, a University of Virginia study showed that sleep deprived kids lost seven points on vocabulary tests. It has also been proven that A students slept an average of 15 minutes longer than B students, who in turn slept more than C students, and so on. "Lack of sleep is definitely not desirable for children and teens," Kreiger continues. "It is going to impair the ability to function well at school and even interact with people at a social level."

Another example of sleeps importance? In the early 90's in Edina, Minnesota, the high school start time was changed from 7:25 to 8:15 .The top SAT scores in the school jumped from 1288 to 1500 after the switch. That is amazing!

Just as we worry about the effects of drugs and alcohol on our teens, we need to consider the effect of sleep deprivation on their developing brains. Sleep problems can impair children's IQs as much as lead exposure. Brains grow as kids sleep. Several studies have shown that sleep-deprived kids are a higher risk for depression, obesity and cognitive delays. Just how much sleep should kids get?

Infants - up to 18 hours
Toddlers 12-14 hours
5-12 years 9-11 hours
Teens 8.5-9.5 hours

Good Morning America's contributing experts Ann Pleshette Murphy and Laura Lacy offer some major bedtime booby traps and solutions to fix them.

No exercise at night: Late-night practices and games make it very hard for kids to slow down and relax - a prerequisite for a good night's rest. For little kids, watch out for pre-bedtime roughhousing, which is also too stimulating. Don't try to tire your child out, because "crashing" to sleep doesn't produce the kind of rest he/she needs.
Embrace the dark side: Light is a major "wake-up" cue, so install blackout shades in kids' rooms, and try dimming the lights before bed. Also reduce screen time before bed: If necessary, take the computer out of the bedroom when it's "lights out." The glow from the TV or computer screen may be enough to keep your teens motor running. Remove the cell phone, too!
Eliminate caffeine from your child's diet. Too many sodas during the day or chocolate for dessert can wreak havoc at bedtime. So can certain medications. Some cold medicine contains decongestants that are stimulants, and certain prescription pain medications may also contain caffeine. Check with your pharmacist or family doctor to find out if your child's medications fall into this category.
Avoid weekend "jet lag": Many people believe that it's OK for kids to catch up on their sleep over the weekend, so we let their routine fall apart. Instead, however, they end up suffering from the equivalent of jet lag and have to reset their biological clocks Monday morning. Try to stick to their weekly bedtime routine as much as possible. Also let them take short naps during the week if necessary, but get them to bed at a reasonable hour. The goal is at least eight hours of sleep, and 10 is preferable!
Walk the walk: We can't yell at our kids to get to bed if we're burning the candle at both ends ourselves. Look at your family's calendar. Make rest and sleep a priority and model that commitment. That means being willing to say no to things. It's a tough challenge, particularly at this time of year when there are so many events coming down the road.
Turn off the Beasts Computers, cell phones, ipods, video games, TV's.....after an agreed upon time, off they go.

As discussed here, kids with a nightly schedule benefit in yet another way. Family dinners, homework a priority, calm and organized preparations for a new day, and now, the gift of a good night's rest. All are important to ground our children, and to give them the tools to succeed in their daily life and in the future.