 The Effects of Sleep on Learning Joseph D’Intino, M.Ed SPA Presentation November 5 th, 2014

Outline  Development  Optimal Hours  Learning and Sleep  Resources

Our needs change  Sleep needs change over development  Meeting sleep requirements are important for healthy development.

How much sleep should my child have? Children ages 3-5: 11 to 13 hours Children ages 5 and 12: 10 to 11 hours Adolescents: 8.5 to 9.5 hours Adults: 7.5 to 8.5 hours

Adolescents and Sleep  Circadian rhythms – late to bed, late to rise  Poor sleep hygiene:  Electronics before bed  Time management issues

Calculating Sleep Debt MonTue s WedThursFriSatSunTotal Expected hours Actual hours Hours Deprived This means: There is a pattern of sleep deprivation Sleep cycles have been disrupted – lack of REM Poor quality of learning has taken place throughout the week.

Preparation for Learning  More than just focus  Eliminating unnecessary information  Restoration  Memory – According to importance

Memory Consolidation Working Memory – Encoding Disrupted if tired, unfocused, or stressed Short-term Memory - Storage Disrupted by interruptions of sleep cycle Long-term memory – Retrieval Disrupted if tired, unfocused, or stressed

Healthy Sleep Hygiene “Sleep Do’s” 1. Establish a routine 2. Limit light exposure well before bed-time. (i.e. laptops, phones, etc.) 3. Get exercise during the day 4. Keep a notepad near your bed 5. Have a quiet, dark, and cool room. “Sleep Don’t’s” 1. Don’t do heavy exercise before bed 2. Don’t “cram” the night before a test or assignment 3. Don’t create a sleep debt 4. Don’t nap too close to bed time 5. Don’t overstimulate your brain

Resources  Russell Foster: Circadian Neuroscientist: Why do we sleep?   Making up for “sleep-debt”  on-sleep/ on-sleep/  Tackling Sleep Myths   Doyle, T., & Zakrajsek, T. (2013). The New Science of Learning. Virginia: Stylus. p  D’Intino, J. (2014, June 2). The Way We Learn: Golden Slumbers. Retrieved from:

Questions?

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