SAN ANTONIO – If your kids are moody and having a hard time focusing now that they’re back in school, they could be suffering from poor sleep.
Dr. Alfredo Conde with Methodist Hospital said it’s important to get kids on a sleep schedule that allows them to get enough rest.
“If they don’t sleep enough, they won’t be able to learn as well,” Conde said.
Research shows elementary-age kids should be getting nine to 12 hours of sleep and teens should get eight to 10 hours on a regular basis. Younger toddler-aged kids need more sleep, as much as up to 12 hours or more.
Poor sleep in some kids has been diagnosed as ADHD, Conde said.
“In younger children, lack of sleep is not necessarily associated with being a sleepy. Rather, they can become more agitated, more hyperactive, and less able to concentrate,” he said.
A problem linked to poor sleep is electronics, such as phones and tablets, Conde said.
“It’s recommended that we stop using these electronics one hour before the intended hour of the intended bedtime,” he said.
A room should be a calming place and technology-free, kids should also not be doing homework in their bedrooms, Conde said.
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