NHLBI'S CHILDREN AND SLEEP CAMPAIGN
PROMOTES ADEQUATE SLEEP FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR

At Least Nine Hours Sleep Each Night Recommended

Getting at least nine hours of restful sleep each night is critical for children's health, success in school and other activities, and safety. That's the message that the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is sending school children as they start the new school year.

NHLBI's Sleep Well. Do Well. Star Sleeper Campaign, a major five-year educational initiative, is targeting young children – their parents, teachers, and pediatricians – with the message that adequate nighttime sleep – at least nine hours each night – will help them do their best in whatever they do, including school activities, sports and other extracurricular activities, and good family relationships and friendships.

NHLBI Director Dr. Claude Lenfant says that the goal is to instill in young children – and the adults who most influence them – the understanding that sleep is important.

According to Lenfant, "Getting enough sleep each night is very important for children; it will help them feel good and have more fun during the day. We want young children to understand this and to establish a good night's sleep as a lifelong habit. The beginning of the new school year is an especially appropriate time to start."

Garfield creator Jim Davis and his studio, Paws, Inc., are co-sponsoring this initiative, with Garfield serving as the campaign's "Star Sleeper" and "spokescat." "Garfield has tremendous appeal to people of all ages, and messages from Garfield about the importance of sleep should have particular resonance for young children, as well as their parents," Lenfant said.

Sleep problems are estimated to affect about 70 million Americans, and there is a growing body of scientific evidence showing that inadequate sleep results in tiredness, difficulties with focused attention, irritability, easy frustration, and difficulty modulating impulses and emotions. This is as true for children as it is for adults, although little attention has been paid to the problem of sleep in children. The campaign focuses on elementary school children because sleep experts believe it is important to develop good sleep habits early. Dr. Carl E. Hunt, director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research at the NHLBI explains, "Sleep disorders are often not recognized in children, and symptoms related to sleep deprivation may be erroneously attributed to hyperactivity or behavior disorders, to boredom with school, or to today's hectic lifestyles."

An important component of the campaign is partnerships with organizations concerned about children's health and education that will help extend the campaign's messages to their own constituents. Organizations that have already agreed to be part of the campaign include the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and the Capital Children's Museum.

Frederick N. Brown, Associate Executive Director for Professional Services of the NAESP, recalls that during his 24 years as an elementary school principal, he often observed children who were asleep in class or too tired to concentrate. "It is our hope that early intervention with sleep education messages will help our youngsters understand the importance of sleep so that they will incorporate good sleep habits into their lifestyles at an early point in their lives," he said.

The campaign features educational materials and promotional items, including a new Garfield Star Sleeper Fun Pad – a 48-page book of games and puzzles with embedded sleep messages – and a 14-inch tall plush Garfield doll in his "Star Sleeper" pajamas.

The Fun Pad is being distributed to children ages 7 to 11 through school, youth, and physician groups to educate them about the importance of adequate nighttime sleep. An interactive online version and other sleep education materials are available on the Garfield Star Sleeper Web Page at starsleep.nhlbi.nih.gov. Both the Fun Pad and the plush doll can be ordered through the NHLBI Online Catalog in the Health Information section at www.nhlbi.nih.gov.

The NHLBI is part of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD.