Schoolchildren should be taught that getting a good night's sleep is vital for their wellbeing, it has been claimed.

Jessica Alexander, press officer at The Sleep Council, said it is important that youngsters are aware of the benefits of rest.

"Teenagers need their eight to nine hours of undisturbed sleep and there is mounting evidence they are not getting it," she commented.

Ms Alexander noted that a lack of sleep can damage children's social skills and cause their academic performance to suffer.

Schools should start focusing on the importance of sleep at an early stage, before people have the opportunity to fall into bad habits, she added.

A recent study carried out by The Sleep Council revealed that 73 per cent of adults think children should be taught about the subject.

Furthermore, 60 per cent said sleep education should be made compulsory in schools and form part of the curriculum.

Written by Donal Walsh

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