Question
"Lack of sleep, which is common among middle-schoolers, is a serious problem that negatively affects physical and mental health. (2) The National Institutes of Health studied the sleep habits of more than 800 11- to 13-year-olds. (3) They found they slept an average of fewer than 7.5 hours a night, far below the recommended 9-10 hours. (4) Only two percent met the recommended amount, and a third of those studied slept less than seven hours a night.
(2) The NIH asserts that people who do not get enough sleep are more likely to be obese, have less muscle mass, and are at greater risk for diabetes and kidney disease. They may have poor decision-making and problem-solving skills, less creativity, and more difficulty learning. They may also be more emotionally unstable, feeling anger, impulsiveness, sadness, depression, and increased stress. Concerned parents who notice any of these signs in their own children should enforce strict bedtimes for their children, eliminate causes of sleep disruption and delay, and help children manage their time.
Good sleep hygiene, the behaviors that promote good sleep, will help ensure that middle-schoolers get enough sleep. Developing these behaviors takes planning and consistency. Parents and their children can work together to set consistent bedtimes and wake times that ensure that middle-schoolers get at least nine hours of sleep each night. This means keeping nearly the same schedule on weekends as on weekdays. Making a schedule to account for activities and homework can also help create a predictable habit that the body and brain will adapt to.
A bedtime routine that includes quiet activities and relaxation techniques, such as listening to soothing music or reading a light book, also helps the body prepare for sleep. Getting plenty of daily exercise, though not too close to bedtime, and getting outside each day work to tire the body physically and to activate the eyes’ photoreceptors to distinguish between daytime and nighttime. Avoiding heavy meals late in the day and eliminating stimulating foods and beverages that contain caffeine can aid quality sleep. Avoiding screen time within the last one to two hours before bedtime also helps the brain relax. A cool, dark room encourages sleep as does a quiet home, so parents and other family members should tone down their activities when middle-schoolers have gone to bed." what is the key concept?
(2) The NIH asserts that people who do not get enough sleep are more likely to be obese, have less muscle mass, and are at greater risk for diabetes and kidney disease. They may have poor decision-making and problem-solving skills, less creativity, and more difficulty learning. They may also be more emotionally unstable, feeling anger, impulsiveness, sadness, depression, and increased stress. Concerned parents who notice any of these signs in their own children should enforce strict bedtimes for their children, eliminate causes of sleep disruption and delay, and help children manage their time.
Good sleep hygiene, the behaviors that promote good sleep, will help ensure that middle-schoolers get enough sleep. Developing these behaviors takes planning and consistency. Parents and their children can work together to set consistent bedtimes and wake times that ensure that middle-schoolers get at least nine hours of sleep each night. This means keeping nearly the same schedule on weekends as on weekdays. Making a schedule to account for activities and homework can also help create a predictable habit that the body and brain will adapt to.
A bedtime routine that includes quiet activities and relaxation techniques, such as listening to soothing music or reading a light book, also helps the body prepare for sleep. Getting plenty of daily exercise, though not too close to bedtime, and getting outside each day work to tire the body physically and to activate the eyes’ photoreceptors to distinguish between daytime and nighttime. Avoiding heavy meals late in the day and eliminating stimulating foods and beverages that contain caffeine can aid quality sleep. Avoiding screen time within the last one to two hours before bedtime also helps the brain relax. A cool, dark room encourages sleep as does a quiet home, so parents and other family members should tone down their activities when middle-schoolers have gone to bed." what is the key concept?
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GPT-4o mini
The key concept of the passage is the importance of adequate sleep for middle-schoolers and the negative impacts of sleep deprivation on their physical and mental health. It outlines the problem of insufficient sleep among this age group, highlights the consequences of poor sleep habits, and provides strategies for parents and children to establish good sleep hygiene practices in order to promote better sleep quality and overall well-being.