Just like a healthy diet and exercise, sleep is critical for children and teens to stay healthy. A full night’s sleep helps kids and teens grow, learn, do well in school, and function at their best. Wake Up and Learn is Geisinger’s school-based sleep education and surveillance program.
What’s up with sleep?
Helpful tips for parents
- Understand the importance of establishing proper sleep schedules.
- Screen for sleep health issues throughout the year.
- Provide education information to help students set and maintain good sleep habits.
Healthy Sleep for Kids Feels Great!
It may seem like a waste of time when you’ve got so much going on, but sleep can help you do better in school, reduce stress, and help you feel better. Did you know? Not getting enough sleep can make you feel angry or depressed. It can cause you to have trouble learning, remembering, and thinking clearly, too. But there are a few easy changes you can make to get more sleep.
Tips on How to Get Better Sleep for Kids:
- Play soothing music or white noise
- Avoid naps after school
- Turn off your phone, TV or tablet
- Create a neat and comfy sleeping area
- Don’t take your problems to bed
Meet Dr. Morse
Dr. Anne Marie Morse is a pediatric neurologist and director of Geisinger’s pediatric sleep medicine and child neurology programs. She earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her training in pediatrics and child neurology at the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center. She then completed a fellowship in sleep medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, Montefiore Medical Center. Although she serves many roles, including as a clinician, researcher, educator and administrator, she is fully invested in sleep health advocacy and increasing the awareness of the value of regular healthy sleep and impact of sleep-wake disorders. Dr. Morse is well-known for her expertise in sleep and serves as a key opinion leader for pediatric narcolepsy and hypersomnia disorders. She is frequently invited to speak at local, regional and national conferences, as well as enjoys opportunities to provide content expertise for media, schools, and community-based events.
Fun fact:
When Dr. Morse was growing up, she aspired to be a butterfly, because they make people smile.
Fostering Healthy Sleep for Kids
All parents know how essential it is for their child to get sleep, but many do not know how much is needed or how essential it is. Not only is it important for your child or teen to get enough sleep – they also need adequate sleep quality. We understand it might be hard in this day and age for your kids to stop using their phones but limiting screen time before bed will ensure that they get a better night’s rest.
Why Are Teens So Sleep-Deprived?
Biology, technology, and societal expectations, including homework and extracurriculars, together create a perfect storm for chronic sleep deprivation. Discover the major contributors to adolescent sleep debt.
Sleep Disorders
Additional Resources
With Gratitude
Dr. Morse and the team would like to express gratitude and thanks to Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital and Jazz Pharmaceuticals for their support of the Wake Up and Learn Program. Together, we can increase awareness about adolescent sleep disorders, as well as advocate for their proper treatment