By Cole Manor Healthy Comet reporters | Cole Manor School Nurse Mrs. Cleary says there are no benefits to a lack of sleep. 

When kids don’t get enough sleep, they can feel grumpy and have headaches, she recently told the Healthy Comet staff. They also can have trouble getting along with each other. 

Mrs. Parker, a first-grade teacher, said students who don’t get enough shut-eye can fall asleep during class and miss important information. Sometimes they even miss school, she said.

One in three people isn’t getting enough sleep at night, says KidsHealth.org. 

Elementary school students should get between 9 and 12 hours of sleep a night, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Mrs. Parker said that when she doesn’t get enough sleep, she feels tired and can’t focus. 

A regular bedtime routine can help you get enough sleep, Mrs. Parker and Mrs. Cleary said. 

Mrs. Parker offered some tips for getting ready for bed: Take a shower. Wash your face. Tidy your space. Maybe read a book in bed. 

Mrs. Cleary said to put away your phone before bed and read or shower as a way to help you fall asleep. Mrs. Parker also said that music or white noise can help you fall asleep

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Here are a few other tips: 

• Mrs. Parker: “I play relaxing music and I read.” 
• Mrs. Smull, third-grade teacher: “I try to keep a routine and get to bed around the same time every night.”
• Mrs. Bucci, art therapist: Listening to “white or brown noise helps me relax.”

Illustration by Mia, Cole Manor E.S., 2024–25.