How Sleep Can Improve a Child’s Learning

Sleep is a crucial aspect in any one’s life, especially a child’s. So much of a kid’s life depends on sleep: health, attitude, even academic performance. School-age children should be getting around 10 hours of sleep a night, and teens around nine, but too few get the rest their bodies need. If your child struggles in school, or can’t find the motivation to head to class, consider adjusting their sleep schedule.

Here are just a few of the ways that sleep can help improve your child’s learning, and how to make sure they’re getting the ZZZ’s they need.

More excited to learn

High-quality rest has the ability to boost a child’s mood and happiness, making it much easier for them to feel excited to learn. Sleep can also make it easier for them to pay attention, interact positively with classmates and be productive. All of these learning improvements can not only better your child’s performance in school, but also help boost their confidence and motivate them to continue advancing.

Boosted creativity

Adequate rest has also been shown to improve creative skills in all forms. Whether it be abstract creativity to beat writer’s block, or problem-solving with out of the box solutions, sleep makes it easier to think differently. This can help your kid advance in the subjects they’re interested in, while also improving their understanding of the subjects that they struggle with.

Better memory

Memory is another skill that benefits from a good night’s rest. Research shows that sleep plays a significant role in memory consolidation which is necessary in learning new skills and recalling information. Well-rested kids are better able to turn the information they’re taught into lifelong skills. They will also be more likely to remember lessons.

Tips to Help With Bedtime

This is all important information, but sometimes it’s easier said than done to actually enforce bedtime, right? You’re definitely not alone! If you need some help getting your child to sleep on time, try some of these tips:

1.  Eat a nutritional bedtime snack. Magnesium-heavy snacks such as bananas or peanut butter eaten two hours before bedtime can make kids feel sleepy. This can help them fall asleep faster. 
2. Get new pillows. While a new bed can get expensive, new pillows won’t break the bank and can make the difference in a night comfortable enough to sleep through.
3. Read a book. Reading a story before bed every night can not only create a bedtime pattern that’s easy for your child to follow, but it can also allow them to relax enough for sleep.
4. Turn off the lights. A dark, quiet room is the best sleeping environment for children. If they’re afraid of the dark, consider getting a red toned nightlight to avoid interrupting their circadian rhythms.

If your child struggles with their schoolwork, remember that there are many different ways to help support their studies. Encouraging healthy sleep habits is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to look after their learning and help them improve their academic performance.