Recently, I’ve been hearing more and more about the importance of sleep. I found a wonderful book recently released where the author said previous lines of thought were nutrition, exercise, and sleep were the three pillars of health. However, now the scientific community has a better understanding of sleep being the foundation of good health, with nutrition and exercise coming after that. Basically, if you aren’t sleeping well or getting enough sleep, nothing else really matters. Sleep matters to literally every cell in your body affecting every system.
With that knowledge, we have worked in my house to make sure everyone is getting enough sleep. Early bedtimes aren’t always fun (especially with the sun staying out longer), but it really is so important to kids and adults to make sure they are getting enough sleep. I have also talked with students about this, and explained that without enough sleep their ability to regulate emotions and handle stress will be greatly impaired. The next time you’re struggling to manage emotions, think about how much sleep you got the night before. It could very well be the problem!