cannot continue to function efficiently for long without it. As a School Nurse, I am concerned that many of our children get inadequate sleep which can affect their physical and mental health and compromise their ability to learn.

You know how you feel after a late night. You just do not function at your best the next day. Your mental efficiency is impaired and you tend to be irritable and restless. Unfortunately a child may feel this way every day if he is not getting enough sleep.

The children who appear `fidgety' and who cannot sit still or concentrate on the talk or film the teacher is showing are often the ones who are not getting enough sleep. Insufficient sleep can affect a child's feelings and social behaviour. Being overtired makes a child irritable, grouchy, and more prone to quarrel or fight. Sadly, such a child may get mislabelled as being `hyperactive'.

Sleep is an important aspect of good health. Growing evidence suggests that sleep prepares the brain for normal function. The brain takes in a great deal of information during the day. It then needs time to rationalise, disperse, and store the day's intake. If the brain does not have adequate time to rejuvenate through sleep, mental efficiency is reduced the next day.

Growth and tissue repair take place during sleep. One study of a group of children showed that during a period of poor sleep, they grew at only one third of the normal rate.

You know how much sleep you need to feel and perform well. It is important to determine the optimum amount of sleep your child needs too.

The amount of sleep each individual needs can vary. Primary-aged children need between 10 and 12 hours of sleep, teens between 9 and 10 hours, and adults between 7 and 8 hours.

It would seem that a number of Bermuda's children do not get enough sleep.

Although there are a number of reasons, watching TV and radio are two of the main culprits.

Many children fight against going to bed at a reasonable hour. You have to be firm. In the best interest of your child a consistent but not rigid bedtime routine is helpful. A quiet, relaxing time before bed, a story and a noise free environment will help make bedtime more pleasant.

If your child is not ready for sleep, allow him to look at books or play quietly in his room until he is ready to drop off to sleep.

Help your child to establish a healthy sleep pattern to ensure he can function efficiently and take full advantage of the opportunity to learn.

SHIRLEY HIGGS Child Health Nurse Department of Health and Social Services HEALTH HTH