The Guardian – Judy Willis
” Lack of sleep is a common problem among high-school students, and it can do serious damage, hampering mental activity and resulting in reduced academic performance. Sleep-deprived children display less brain activity while working on maths problems, for example, and make more mistakes in tests. In one study, students tried to memorise short lists of words during the afternoon following a full night’s sleep; the comparison group tried the same task after staying awake for 35 hours. Word recall and recognition dropped sharply in the sleep-deprived group. With so much to do during the school day, teenagers need all the help they can get if they are to work at peak efficiency, so it’s important to understand their sleep patterns and help them to recognise the importance of rest.”(more)