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New research on sleep schedules
With the school year approaching, a lot of us need to re-establish bedtimes. According to the National Sleep Foundation, here are some guidelines: Preschoolers require 11—13 hours of sleep per night and may also need an afternoon nap. School Age Children require 10—11 hours of sleep per night. Teenagers require 8.5– 9.25 hours of sleep per night. ********** Teens—Lazy Slackers? Nope. Research shows that teenagers have a natural tendency to stay up late and wake later in the morning. Their circadian clocks are programmed this way. In fact, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) introduced a congressional resolution to encourage school districts to reconsider school start times to be more in tune with teens’ biological sleep needs. When teens get enough sleep they are less likely to suffer from depression and more likely to get good grades. 7 Tips to help teens adjust to school mornings after summer vacation: 1) Go to sleep and wake up 15 minutes earlier each day until you reach your desired sleep and wake times. Avoid naps during this period of readjustment. 2) Avoid caffeine. 3) Open blinds or turn on lights as soon as possible after waking to help reset your internal clock. Avoid bright light in the evening. 4) Relax before bedtime. 5) Do not go to sleep more than one hour later on the weekend than you do during the week. 6) Do not go off schedule for more than two nights in a row. 7) Wake no more than two or three hours later than your normal schedule on weekends. Read more about the campaign for later school start times at
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