As Joseph Cossman rightly said,” The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep”. In today’s world of hectic back-to-back schedules, even for a student, a good distraction-free 6-8 hours of sleep is a boon and has long-lasting health and personality-building benefits. As we inch towards term-end examinations and in a race to perform better, we sometimes take sleep for granted and give it little due. It plays a crucial role in ensuring the wellness of the human body, both physically and mentally. A person’s ability to make decisions, remember things, pay attention, and think creatively depend on the amount of sound sleep they are managing to get daily.
On the World Sleep Day occasion, it was our great fortune to have doctors of Shishuka Children’s Specialty Hospital, who talked to the students about the importance of sleep in children, especially during exam season. Dr. K.R. Bharath Kumar Reddy, a Pediatric Pulmonologist and Sleep Consultant at Shishuka Children’s Specialty Hospital, shared his rich experience, real-life examples, and health tips to help us in the long run.
A few of the topics that were discussed in detail were the benefits of good sleep hygiene, how sleep is one of the three pillars of health apart from diet and activity, a guide to average sleep time for different age groups, what causes sleep deprivation, the concept of melatonin (a hormone that your brain produces in response to darkness. It helps with the timing of your sleep). Good sound sleep has numerous benefits, one staying in a good state of health (research has shown that a poor sleep cycle leads to obesity). Good sleep improves your brain performance, mood, and health. Not getting enough sleep raises the risk of many diseases and disorders, ranging from heart disease and stroke to obesity and dementia. There’s more to good sleep than just the hours spent in bed.
I would conclude with a saying :
“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures for anything”. – Irish Proverb
By Akshith Bothala
Class 9th “A”
