Your children have probably heard all of the standard reasons why sleep is good for them, and they are probably still giving you good excuses to stay up late anyway. There are, however, some benefits to sleep that might surprise the whole family. If you or your children are having trouble sleeping, maybe it’s time to find ways to relax before bedtime, invest in better mattresses, cut out distractions, use a natural melatonin supplement and make sleep a priority. These benefits could make sleep a life saver—literally and figuratively.
1. Memory over Matter
It has been scientifically proven that those who get 8 hours of sleep or more a night have better memory retention than those who get fewer. If your child is learning a new math concept or language, sleep is often a time that the brain is actively going over new material learned during the day. Many people that are learning new languages say they experience the most memorization of the language in their sleep, and find that they have a better understanding of the topic, concept or language when they arise.
2. Attention Grabber
A 2009 study performed by the journal Pediatrics found that children who get less sleep exhibit more ADHD tendencies than those who get 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night. When adults are tired, frequently we are run down and lack energy, but for children, they tend to get hyper and lack focus. Sleep could be the difference between a child who is focused and calm, and one that is bouncing off the walls.
3. Winning!
Standford University found that college football players that were getting at least 10 hours of sleep a night for several weeks had higher sprint times, more stamina and less fatigue. Similar studies on athletes have found similar results. It might be worth a shot to encourage your little athlete to get more sleep. Let them know that more sleep could mean more wins.
4. Clumsy Me
It’s been scientifically proven that sleeplessness drastically affects reaction time and increases an overall lack of attention, which could be dangerous and potentially deadly. Many drivers find that they make the most mistakes on the road when their judgment was impaired by lack of adequate sleep. This sort of sleeplessness could have deadly consequences, which is why it is imperative that the whole family take adequate sleep seriously. If shut-eye is hard to come by, make it a priority by getting more relaxation before bedtime, seeing to proper nutrition, investing in better pillows and mattresses, using a natural melatonin supplement to promote sleep, and cutting out bedtime distractions. Being alert is perhaps the most vital reason to get sleep – since it could mean the difference between life and death – so make sleep a priority.
