Celebrate National Sleep Awareness Month
Did you know March is National Sleep Awareness Month? Continue reading for helpful tips and insights from High School Counselor Latricia Watkins on how you can start prioritizing your sleep this month.
By Latricia Watkins, HS Counselor
Back
Spring Break has come and gone, and I hope it was exactly what your family needed it to be. During March, our clocks have moved forward an hour, the sun is setting later, and spring has begun (even though the weather in Nashville feels otherwise).
As we journey towards the fourth quarter of the year, it seems the pace has not slowed down at all at 2000 Edgehill. March is recognized as National Sleep Awareness Month by the American School Counseling Association. As a result, I'm sharing a few resources with families focused on sleep awareness.
Quite a few of my recent conversations with students involved them telling me about the demands of their academic work loads, the after school events they participate in, and how tired they are. Reports of tiredness, feelings of anxiousness, and extreme daytime fatigue have been recurring themes. I'm shocked at some of the responses I receive whenever I ask students how much sleep they average each night. The average answer as of late is 5 to 6.5 hours.
As we journey towards the fourth quarter of the year, it seems the pace has not slowed down at all at 2000 Edgehill. March is recognized as National Sleep Awareness Month by the American School Counseling Association. As a result, I'm sharing a few resources with families focused on sleep awareness.
Quite a few of my recent conversations with students involved them telling me about the demands of their academic work loads, the after school events they participate in, and how tired they are. Reports of tiredness, feelings of anxiousness, and extreme daytime fatigue have been recurring themes. I'm shocked at some of the responses I receive whenever I ask students how much sleep they average each night. The average answer as of late is 5 to 6.5 hours.
Some people are under the impression that you need less sleep the older you get, but that is not the case. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teens ages 13-18 should average 8-10 hours of sleep each night. Harvard's Division of Sleep Medicine highlights that teens who engage in screen time at bedtime are likelier to experience sleep-related impairment. Mindless scrolling before bedtime on TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat is not ideal for winding down before bedtime.
If you consume coffee or energy drinks and struggle with getting adequate sleep, now may be the time to look at alternatives to improve sleep patterns. Later bedtimes and delayed wake-up times could also be signs that a student is struggling with getting adequate sleep. Without enough rest, teens are more likely to suffer from the cognitive, behavioral, and physical effects of sleep deprivation that could be detrimental to school performance.
If you consume coffee or energy drinks and struggle with getting adequate sleep, now may be the time to look at alternatives to improve sleep patterns. Later bedtimes and delayed wake-up times could also be signs that a student is struggling with getting adequate sleep. Without enough rest, teens are more likely to suffer from the cognitive, behavioral, and physical effects of sleep deprivation that could be detrimental to school performance.
If you or your student is experiencing difficulty developing a nighttime routine that promotes a good night's rest, you are not alone and help is available. I am happy to be a resource to you and your family, please do not hesitate to reach out. For those looking to dive deeper into this subject, I've included resources for you to review with helpful tips in hopes of achieving optimal sleep.
Resources:
- The Sleep Foundation has prepared a number of fact sheets about sleep-related topics like anxiety and sleep, stress and sleep, sleep disorders, etc.
- If the COVID-19 pandemic messed with your sleep, this New York Times article can help.
- Harvard Health can help your student get the sleep they need.
- Refer to the Centers for Disease Control to determine if you are getting enough sleep.
- University of Michigan can teach you more about memory storage and the hippocampus.
- Discover why sleep matters with Harvard University's division of sleep medicine.
More USN News
List of 3 news stories.
-
Security Corner: Meet Sgt. Anthony Jones
Sgt. Anthony Jones joined University School of Nashville in November as a School Resource Officer, a certified police officer who is primarily assigned to a school and provides safety and security-related functions, including emergency response, safety training, traffic direction, and patrol functions.Read More -
Senior named UVA Jefferson Scholar
University of Virginia selected Margot Ross '24 to be a Jefferson Scholar. The highly selective scholarship includes the full cost of attending UVA for four years of study as well as numerous enrichment opportunities. It has been 16 years since a University School of Nashville senior last became a Jefferson Scholar.Read More -
UNISON Dance, USN Choir spring concert April 25
Dance and choral students will come together for their spring semester performances at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 25 in Durnan Auditorium.Read More
Contact
Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
USN Mission:
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.