When you get older your parents let you stay up later. But that doesn’t make it a good idea. Tired people intend (倾向) to be unhappy ones, and their schoolwork suffers, says a recent study by the US National Sleep Foundation.
“If you don’t get enough sleep at night, you tend to sleep in school. If you’re asleep, you don’t learn anything,” says Mary Carskadon, an American sleep researcher.
Sleep is important because it gives our bodies time to recover from the stress of living. Studies show that adults who sleep less than six hours a night tend to have more heart problems. They die sooner than adults who sleep seven to eight hours a night.
How much sleep do you need? That depends on how old you are. Babies spend most of the day asleep. By the time they’re 10 years old, they need an average (平均 ) of 10 hours a night. As they get older, they tend to sleep less. And the Sleep Foundation says that teenagers need 8. 5 to nine hours. But in experiments where young teens are allowed to sleep as long as they want, they tend to choose to sleep an average of 10 hours.
However, it does seem difficult for kids to get the sleep they need, given the demands (要求) made on them by education. Some schools start as early as 7 am. Some schools have late classes or self-study sessions (时段) that end as late as 10 pm.
You have to study, but here are some tips that should help you feel less tired.
Watch less television. Go to bed just 30 minutes earlier each school night, and you’ll gain two hours and a half of sleep a week.
Cutting out caffeine (咖啡因) also helps. Soda, tea and coffee help you stay wake, but they can make it harder to fall asleep.
Before you go to bed, turn off any electrical devices (电子设备) as these can make it more difficult to get to sleep.
So, switch off the TV, computer and the lights. Oh, yes, and sweet dreams!
8. What may not happen to a child if he doesn’t get enough sleep?
A.He feels unhappy. | B.He does badly in his homework. |
C.He falls asleep in the classroom. | D.He suffers a heart attack. |
9. Generally speaking, how long does a 13-year-old kid need to sleep?
A.Ten hours. | B.Nine hours. | C.Eight hours. | D.Seven hours. |
10. What can make you have a good sleep?
A.Drinking some tea. |
B.Watching a 2-hour film. |
C.Turning off the lights. |
D.Playing with smartphones. |
11. This text is mainly written for
A.Parents. | B.Teachers. | C.Kids. | D.Adults. |