In honor of Student Sleep Health Week (an event organized by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) to raise awareness of the importance of sleep in students of all ages), I hosted a webinar titled “Getting Our Kids’ Sleep on Track.”

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and numerous societal demands, our children are not receiving the adequate sleep they need. While insufficient sleep has long been a concern, these additional stressors have exacerbated the situation. Between 20% to 40% of young children experience sleep problems, while 58% of middle schoolers and a staggering 73% of high school students fail to achieve the recommended hours of sleep. Insufficient sleep significantly impacts our children's mood, learning abilities, emotional well-being, and physical performance.

As William C. Dement wisely noted, “If you really want to understand the underlying mechanism of adult sleep, the best place to start is observing the template of childhood sleep.”

Sleep serves several vital functions in both children and adults, making it a biological necessity. These functions include the clearance of waste products that accumulate in our brains, the repair and restoration of tissues and organ functions, and the enhancement of learning, memory, and cognition.

In essence, restful sleep contributes to our overall health, happiness, and success.

To delve deeper into this crucial topic, and discover ways to enhance sleep for both our young ones and ourselves, subscribe to my newsletter below to gain access to the webinar.

Yours restfully,

Dr. Funke