The Better Sleep Council in the United States and The Sleep Council in the United Kingdom studied the importance of sleep in children’s lives (ages 7-18) and found alarming results. Children are not getting enough sleep and it impacts their lives in a variety of crucial ways.

Lack of Sleep Impacts Behavior and School Performance

Parents in both countries were asked how sleep affects their children’s grades and moods and shared revealing information.

Sleep grades

Getting enough sleep helps kids do better at school.

• 45% of U.S. parents reported that their child earns better grades when he or she gets more sleep
• 22% of U.K. parents found an improvement in grades when children sleep more

Better sleep equals happier kids

Sleep doesn’t just affect kids’ grades.

• 44% of U.K. parents think their child is crabbier when getting less sleep during the school year
• 85% of U.S. parents noticed the same thing

Jessica Alexander from The Sleep Council concluded that, “In the U.S. there is greater awareness of the adverse effects of poor sleep habits. In the U.K., sleep has not yet been given equal status with diet and exercise as being fundamental to health and well-being.”

Why aren’t kids sleeping well?

The survey shed light on why kids are not getting enough sleep.

• Many children worry about a variety of issues ranging from school to world news, and this takes a toll on their sleep
• A poor bedroom environment is a major reason children are not sleeping enough at night
• 33% of U.S. parents blame electronics for their child’s sleep loss

Help your child catch more ZZZs

Follow these important tips to help ensure children get a quality night’s sleep:

• Remove electronics from the bedroom or establish an electronics curfew an hour before bedtime
• Make sure the bedroom is cool and quiet
• Try to get the child into a bedtime routine
• Encourage 30 minutes of exercise daily
• Talk with your child about the day and ask about fears and concerns, as your child may not divulge this information offhandedly. Be sure to reassure him or her about any concerns.
• Check the quality of your child’s mattress. If it is seven years old or greater, replacing it could greatly improve the sleep environment.

“Children of all ages today, especially teens, are constantly ‘plugged in,’ and have hectic schedules,” noted Better Sleep Council Director of Communications Karin Mahoney. “But they need to understand that unplugging themselves from gadgets and having quiet time is really important for getting a quality night’s rest.”

Survey Details: Conducted by the Better Sleep Council and The Sleep Council in 2011.