Good Sleeping Habits Can Improve Academic Performance, Study Says

Children can improve their grades academically by having sufficient sleep, according to a new research. The study is led by the researchers from the Douglas Mental Health University Institute in partnership with the Riverside School Board in Montreal and the McGill University.

Science Daily reports that the team of researchers used a collaborative approach, which is called Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR). They developed the program in partnership with the educators. They used experiential learning that gives students competencies, which are needed for the real-world success.

"We found that cumulative average extension of five nights x 18.2 min = 91 min in total had a significant impact on report card grade," said Professor McGill and Reut Gruber, the lead author of the study.

The study involved 74 children who were healthy with ages between 7 and 11. The parents were asked to put the act iWatch to the child's non-dominant wrist during bedtime for consecutive four weeknights. The report cards of their children were also given. Parents recorded their children's bedtime every day and their wake time in the same period.

The outcome of the study showed that there were improvements in the sleep and the grade of their children, particularly in Mathematics and English. In addition, they also found out that small sleep can also improve their academic performance.

WebMD states that more than 2/3 of all children have sleep problems. Sleep can affect the brain development, which is capable of meeting the daily activities at home and in school. Having poor sleep can result in depression, stressed, tired, irritable and without energy. It can also lead to the inability to focus in school and some children tend to doze off in a classroom. Schools must also teach the importance of sleep by having sleep education programs that can be integrated into health curriculum. Health experts advise the parent to let their children get sufficient sleep each night.