The importance of sleep

Dear Parent/Carer,

This week in assemblies, we have been talking to students about the importance of sleep, and its effects on our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, both in the short- and long-term.

Speaking to students about this issue has indicated that a significant majority of our young people are simply not getting enough quality sleep each night, and that it is without a doubt having a day-to-day impact on their lives.

Adolescents should be sleeping on average nine hours per sleep every night, and research shows that sustained periods of getting even an hour or so less than this can have significant impacts on physical and mental health. High-quality sleep is also strongly linked to academic performance, as sleep is key in memory-formation. As such, students who get the right amount of sleep learn more and remember more.

The attached PowerPoint gives some useful tips on what young people can do to improve the quantity and quality of their sleep, but as a parent, you have an important role to play in ensuring your child gets enough sleep each night also.

To help your child get the best possible sleep, you can:

• Encourage them to go to bed at a reasonable time to allow them to get at least 9 hours of sleep
• Discourage the use of screens (especially from phones) and any bright lights at least an hour before bed
• Talk to your child and address any worries or anxieties that they may have that may prevent them from having a restful night’s sleep

On the PowerPoint, and below, you will find some useful links that will give you further information and may help you to establish strong sleeping habits in your child.

• https://teensleephub.org.uk/
• Can’t sleep, won’t sleep? Five ways to get your child’s sleep back on track - Parents' Toolkit - BBC Bitesize
• Sleep problems - Every Mind Matters - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Finally, if you are concerned about your child’s sleep, please do get in touch with their Pastoral team at school, or indeed seek medical advice through your GP.

Kind regards,

Glenn Wright

Associate Assistant Head: Post 16

Click here to view the assembly