Sleeping Well Will Help You Study Better

Sleeping Well Will Help You Study Better
11/7/2010
Updated:
11/8/2010
[xtypo_dropcap]A[/xtypo_dropcap] group of U.S. students participated in a research study to determine the hours of sleep needed for good academic performance. The study was published in the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

In the experiment, teenagers were asked to sleep 30 minutes more each day; their classes started half an hour later than usual. Results indicated a decrease in the percentage of students who were tired. Those who had been easily irritated and annoyed and those who had experienced daytime sleepiness were highly motivated and happy and showed an improvement in concentration and memory.

The changes that occur in the body during puberty cause the sleep hormone melatonin to be altered, delaying the biological clock one to two hours. For this reason, early-rising adolescents need to sleep more. At dawn, they are in a phase of deep sleep and have to struggle to get up and go to school.

During sleep, the body’s major hormones are more active, hence the importance of getting the sleep your body needs. Adolescents need nine hours, experts say.

It is recommended that parents and teachers stress the benefits of healthy sleep habits, which include establishing an appropriate hour for bedtime. They also recommend not using the Internet, playing video games, or using cell phones one hour before bedtime.

Sleep is essential to health and happiness, for we are physically and emotionally restored by sleep.
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