Did you know how many people can’t focus during the day because they don’t get enough sleep? Well, it’s probably more than you think. According to Cdc.gov, about 6 out of 10 middle school students (about 57.8%) don’t get enough sleep every single night, and approximately 7 out of 10 high school students don't get enough sleep every night.
Recommended sleep times for children ages 6-12 is 9-12 hours of sleep per every 24 hours, or one day. Of course, because most schools start at 8:00, you can’t wake up too late, or you’ll be late for school. Therefore, most students who have been asked about their sleep schedule and have a “good” sleep schedule, wake up from around 6:30 to 7:00. Poor sleep schedules can lead to a decrease of academic performance, work ethic, and focus. Moreover, as stated by Cdc.gov,, poor sleep times increase chances for health problems, such as obesity, type two diabetes, poor mental health, and even physical injuries.
Here are some samples of our different sleep times.
RECORDED SLEEP SCHEDULES DURING WEEKDAYS:
Name of Student | Start of Sleep | End of Sleep | Total Sleep Time | Are they sleeping healthy? |
ALANA | 10:00 pm | 6:30 am | 8 ½ hours | NO |
AUDREY | 10:30 pm | 6:30 am | 8 hours | NO |
AVERY | 9:00 pm | 7:00 am | 10 hours | YES |
CARINA | 9:30 pm | 6:30 am | 9 hours | YES |
DANIEL | 10:30 pm | 6:30 am | 9 hours | YES |
EMILY | 9:00 pm | 7:00 am | 10 hours | YES |
JADEN | 10:00 pm | 7:00 am | 9 hours | YES |
OLIVER | 9:30 pm | 6:00 am | 8½ hours | YES |
PRIYANKA | 11:00 pm | 6:00 am | 7 hours | NO |
SYDNEY | 10:00 pm | 7:00 am | 9 hours | NO |
MR. NG | 11:30 pm | 4:30 am to 6:00 am | 5 hours to 7 hours |
The average of all 10 student’s sleep times is 8.8 hours, which is in fact below recommended sleep time for students ages 6 - 12.
So how can you improve your sleep schedule? Well, here are some key points on keeping or improving on your sleep schedule based of of the websites ;
Keep your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark.
Exercise during the day, to keep yourself physically active.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Structure your day, so that your work is done more than 15 minutes before your bedtime.
Relax before bed by reading, taking a warm bath, or anything else that keeps you calm.
Don’t be exposed to blue light at least 1 hour before bedtime.
Don’t eat large meals right before sleeping.
Limit your naps, by napping during the day, you’ll have a harder time falling asleep and you’ll end up not being able to get your proper amount of sleep.
If you follow these sleep tips, you can become a healthy sleeper.
In conclusion, the proper amount of sleep for 6 - 12 year olds is 9 - 12 hours of sleep, and if you're not meeting these recommendations, you should try to follow the tips above for a good night’s rest.
Citations;