Sleep

Anyone who is a parent knows how hard it can be to get kids to sleep. When we’re young, we have boundless energy; sleep just doesn’t seem that important, hence, the frequent resistance to climbing into bed. But research is showing that sleep is far more important than we ever realized. When we are asleep, our brains are actively working, helping us develop motor tasks, deepening memory and learning, and much more.

The bad news is that 15 million school age children in America are suffering from inadequate sleep. Studies also show these children perform less well in tests, have less recall and responsiveness, have more depressive feelings, and perform less well in coordination and motor activities.

Bottom line: Kids need a good night's sleep to learn. And it’s a parent’s job to make sure they get it. The first step may be in properly understanding sleep – and that’s why you may want to watch this week’s video (embedded with this blog post) or read the full transcript of this week’s program, below. You’ll learn about the four levels of sleep and the role each plays in keeping us healthy and happy. As always, please share your observations...Is our society too sleep-deprived?

Mike Magee