Our own informal research is confirming what many teachers and parents have been telling us for the past couple years, that students are often unable to function in class because of a lack of sleep. In a conversation with a physician I was told of a young man that was brought into his office reportedly for a sleeping disorder. In interviewing this young man the physician found his sleep was actually being disrupted by late night gaming, and late day consumption of energy drinks.
In our interviews with over 500 parents we have found that many of these young people are staying up half the night texting, gaming, and engaging in other types of computer activity. Intense gaming ramps up the central nervous system. When a student goes to bed this stimulation either keeps the student from falling asleep, or allows them to fall asleep, but not stay asleep, due to the circulating chemicals stimulating their bodies. When they wake up in the night they often can't get back to sleep so they go back to their technology use. To help parents and teachers, here are six guidelines to assist in reining in technology abuse.
1. Gaming for all ages should stop at least an hour to two hours prior to bedtime. This will allow for the central nervous system to calm down, allowing the student to get to sleep, and stay asleep.
2. Avoid caffeinated soda, coffee, and the use of energy drinks , especially in the evening. "Gamers" often use stimulants in energy drinks to maintain their focus late into the evening. The last thing students need is caffeine and stimulants. Caffeine is addictive, and in high quantities, can cause serious health problems. Keep students away from caffeine and they will be better rested, less dehydrated, and experience increased able to focus.
3. Parents should restrict technology use to common areas of the home. This is specifically true for elementary and middle school students, in order to monitor where they are going on a computer, who they are interacting with, and to establish safe boundaries. Even high school students should be monitored regarding the sites they are visiting, and with whom they are interacting with. This is just responsible parenting! When students are ready for bed, cell phones, laptops, and other electronics should be left out of the bedroom so the students can relax and learn that the bedroom is a place for sleep.
4. Insist on "technology-free" zones during meals, during periods of family time in the evening or on weekends, and at family social gatherings. The exception here would be with young children at adult functions. In this instance young people could be allowed to engage in a technology for short periods of 15 to thirty minutes at a time to avoid extreme boredom. Even in these instances they can benefit from hearing adult discussions as models for their own interactions. Family time is an ideal time to learn appropriate social and interpersonal interactions.
5. Teachers and parents need to coordinate and understand the need for boundaries for electronic use in the classroom, during social time, and at home. Boundaries need to be clearly defined including where and when technology can be used and that text use in writing papers is acceptable as well as the need to develop writing skills, such as full sentences and fully formed thoughts.
6. As adults it is important for us to model appropriate and acceptable behaviors, which will teach far more than we can ever say.
We certainly realize that many students study in their bedrooms, and are due a certain amount of privacy. However, because of the lack of parameters around the use of technology many parents are losing the ability to set boundaries. The six suggestions I propose are a beginning. They establish boundaries in a sensible approach to gaining control over these tools. If you have any questions, or would like more information regarding this topic, please feel free to call (609) 387-5226 or email at info@krigerconsulting.com (if necessary).
Be well,
John
