First through fifth grade
Learn how sleep provides time for essential “housekeeping” functions that keep the brain healthy. In addition, exercise fosters brain activity that tamps down anxiety, reduces the risk of depression, accelerates learning, and keeps the heart healthy.
“You can either entertain the guests or clean up the house, but you really can’t do both at the same time.”
— Danish Neuroscientist Maiken Nedergaard on the importance of sleep
Key Strategies
- Ensure adequate sleep
- Sleep needs vary. More important than hours, does your child seem sleepy?
- No electronic devices for the final 45 minutes of the day
- Create calming bedtime rituals. Perhaps read together, or if your child has trouble sleeping, try a short meditation or sniffing lavender together
- Make sure your child gets plenty of run-around time
- For kids who love all things sporty and athletic, this may take care of itself
- For a child who’s less athletically-inclined, prioritize outdoor playdates and active family time: bike rides, hikes, swimming, and horseplay
Additional Resources
Book: Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, John Ratey
Website: Is Your Child Getting Enough Sleep? Here’s How to Tell (Cleveland Clinic – https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-tell-if-your-child-is-getting-enough-sleep/)
Rest the Brain, Run the Brain