🤔 Get Some Sleep

Here are some recent snippets from my weekly review. Each week I look back and record what I’ve been thinking, reading, and experiencing in the classroom and in life. Learn. Do. Reflect. Do Better. Celebrate. Repeat.

Here’s #1 from this week’s Friday Five Newsletter for Teachers.

Get Some Sleep

and involving 528 Australian adolescents reveals that poor sleep patterns significantly contribute to anxiety, depression, and eating disorders in teenagers, with repetitive negative thinking (RNT) identified as the key mediating factor. The research, published in Clinical Psychological Science, found that sleep disturbances predicted increases in both general and presleep negative thinking, which subsequently led to deteriorating mental health symptoms. From personal experience, sleep is becoming a bigger issue each year, with more and more students falling asleep at some point during the school day despite my attempts to spice things up.

The research highlights how pre-bedtime repetitive negative thinking (RNT) makes teens more susceptible to anxiety and depression. These findings indicate that tackling both poor sleep habits and negative thought patterns may be essential for preventing mental health issues in adolescents.

Helping students establish healthy sleep habits is a worthy school-wide initiative. The benefits would be far-reaching.

Key Findings & Implementation Strategies

Early Warning Signs to Monitor

• Observe daytime sleepiness and irregular sleep patterns during school hours.
• Recognize sleep disruptions as potential precursors to mental health challenges.
• Watch for signs of pre-bedtime anxiety and worry in student discussions

Educational Initiatives

• Build Student Awareness
• Present age-appropriate sleep science research
• Illustrate sleep-mood connections through relatable examples
• Share effective sleep hygiene practices

Classroom Interventions

• Implement Stress Management Techniques
• Begin/end classes with brief mindfulness exercises
• Practice methods to challenge negative thought patterns
• Teach evening relaxation techniques

Support Network Development

• Create a Collaborative Care System
• Establish a regular counselor check-in schedule
• Distribute sleep hygiene resources to families
• Implement sleep pattern monitoring protocol

Weekly Reflections

• Sleep deprivation in teens is linked to anxiety & depression. Poor sleep patterns significantly impact mental health. Educate your students and parents on the importance of sleep.
• Create a feedback loop: End each lesson by having students write one thing they understood well and one thing they’re still confused about.
• “By helping us keep the world in perspective, sleep gives us a chance to refocus on the essence of who we are. And in that place of connection, it is easier for the fears and concerns of the world to drop away.” — Arianna Huffington
• One of the many beautiful things about public education is that everybody is served regardless of their ability to pay. This is why it’s important to support it.
• Build metacognition by having students explain their thinking process, not just their answers. “How did you arrive at that conclusion?”
• Advocate for your students by sharing their successes with your community. What amazing things happened in your classroom today?

Here’s What I’ve Been Up To

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