March 5-12 is National Sleep Awareness Week.

According to statistics offered by End the Race, www.endtherace.org, 92% of teens do not get nine hours of sleep. Approximately 70% of students receive less than seven hours of sleep per night.

How does lack of sleep affect students?

Teen car accidents have been linked to sleep deprivation, lower grades in school, decreased attention and memory skills. As for elementary-age students, lack of sleep leads to behavior problems and students missing out on instruction, due to them falling asleep in class.

How can you help your child get more sleep?

To help get the sleep that is needed for school success, teens and young students should not use technology at least an hour before bedtime and remove all electronic gadgets from bedrooms.

Happy sleeping!