Give teachers a break and put children to bed earlier

A lack of sleep affects children’s ability to concentrate, said Dr Dolly Habbal, a clinical psychologist at Gulf Diagnostic Centre Hospital in Abu Dhabi.

ABU DHABI // Give your children’s teachers a break – make sure their pupils have enough sleep.

Health professionals say a lack of sufficient sleep not only makes children inattentive, it also makes them cranky and emotional.

“Lack of sleep can make children grumpy and foggy,” said Dr Dolly Habbal, a clinical psychologist at the Gulf Diagnostic Centre in Abu Dhabi.

“It can affect their mood, their learning and their temper. Lack of sleep hurts their cognitive processes. It impairs attention, learning, concentration, reasoning and problem solving.

“This makes it more difficult for the children to learn efficiently.

“Sleep restores us physically and mentally, so to children who work a lot during the school year this is especially important.

“That is when their memories are processed and the brain can store learning. Sleep plays a critical role in thinking and learning.”

Lack of sleep can lead to a range of problems in children including emotional issues and, in the long run, insomnia.

Parents must enforce a strict bedtime for children, said Dr Habbal.

She also suggested that children are kept away from televisions and computers before bed.

A regular sleep-wake cycle is the most important factor and will lead to quality, restful sleep, said Dr Habbal.

So parents should establish a pattern or routine in the evening that helps their children to quieten down and go to sleep.

“Have an established bedtime and stick to it, including during weekends,” Dr Habbal said.

“When they sleep well, they wake up fresh and have a better ability to perform.”