Although the important role of sleep in memory was recognized more than a century ago (5), more recent research has clarified the causal mechanisms through which sleep benefits memory, namely by active consolidation of memories through the reactivation of newly encoded memory representations that become incorporated into long-term knowledge (5,10).
Excerpt from Preventing Chronic Disease, Volume 11, E216.
A good friend recently received his PhD in sleep research for University of Colorado at Boulder and so I have been in constant discussions with him about the importance of sleep in relation to processes in the body. Both adults and adolescents (really, everyone) need enough sleep so that the brain can function well and ensure bodily concerns are not an issue.
Unfortunately, according to the recent article mentioned above, few students get the recommended daily allowance of sleep in order to be at full-functioning capacity during school hours. Not only do we find differences between ethnicities, we also find differences within an ethnicity with respect to age.
Unfortunately, according to the recent article mentioned above, few students get the recommended daily allowance of sleep in order to be at full-functioning capacity during school hours. Not only do we find differences between ethnicities, we also find differences within an ethnicity with respect to age.
As one can see above, the amount of students receiving between 7-8 hours of sleep per night hovers around 52-55% of the total. When race is taken into consideration, fewer Black and Hispanic students get that kind of sleep in comparison to their White compatriots. Additionally, one can see that as age increases, the amount of hours slept per night decreases. This is truly unfortunate as the need for high grades and full potential is at its utmost in 11th and 12th grades.
I am lucky to work at a school that begins at 8:45am so that students can get a bit more sleep each night. It doesn't always work, however, as in New York City students can travel an hour to get to school (as happens with some of our students) and so they have to get up early anyway.
I hope this data is continued to be taken into consideration in future policy decisions.
I am lucky to work at a school that begins at 8:45am so that students can get a bit more sleep each night. It doesn't always work, however, as in New York City students can travel an hour to get to school (as happens with some of our students) and so they have to get up early anyway.
I hope this data is continued to be taken into consideration in future policy decisions.
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