Getting the right amount of sleep is vital to a child's health and mental alertness, particularly as the school year winds through the post-holiday months.

Many children don't get enough sleep, according to Dr. Kamal Naqvi, medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Children's, the only pediatric-only sleep center in Dallas accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Homework, household chores, social activities, medical conditions and over-stimulating sleeping environments (filled with bright lights, TVs, radios and computers) are among the reasons children don't get enough sleep. 

The days before alarm clocks   
Nearly a century ago children and adults slept one to two hours more than they do currently. With no alarm clocks, children awakened spontaneously or in response to a parent. Parents now expect children to sleep less, said Dr. Naqvi, who is also an assistant professor of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern.

"Parents often view getting proper nutrition to be of vital importance to their child and will go to any end to make sure their child does not leave the table hungry," Dr. Naqvi said. "Few parents maintain the same attitude when it comes to sleep."

Typically, elementary-age children require 10 to 11 hours of sleep, and middle school-age and high school-age children require at least nine hours of sleep. In one study, when teenagers were allowed to sleep undisturbed, most slept for more than nine hours.
     
Dr. Naqvi said sleep-deprived children often experience excessive daytime sleepiness and exhibit symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, emotional problems and show poorer ability to tolerate frustration. Studies show sleep-deprived children experience more learning and behavioral problems.
     
Getting back in sync
When allowed to sleep late over the summer, children will accomplish all of the sleep that they need, he explained. When school starts, everything changes because the child now has a requirement to be awake at a certain time.

"In general, school schedules are not in sync with the clock in a child's body," Dr. Naqvi said. "Most children are still in need of more sleep when they are awakened for school. This problem is seen beginning in 5- or 6-year-olds and becomes most severe in teenagers."

Some school systems have moved the start of school an hour later to deal with these problems. Studies of children in schools show they go to bed at the same time and sleep an hour more. The results are fewer late arrivals, fewer absences, better behavior and improved grades.

Dr. Naqvi suggests keeping a child's sleep schedule the same on weekdays and weekends to enable the child to begin sleep earlier on Sunday night, thereby beginning the school week well-rested. 

Resources
Healthy Sleep Habits