School-based sleep health education in Canada

Abstract

Background & ObjectiveCanadian Ministries of Health and Education across all provinces aim to support and maximize the mental and physical health of students to ensure their ability to fulfill their academic potential. Chronic sleep loss affects all of these domains. However, tools to optimize youth sleep are generally lacking. MethodsThis manuscript explains the rationale for the integration of sleep health education into schools, describes the barriers to sleep health education, outlines efforts made to address them in Canada, and discusses future directions for sleep health education in Canada. ResultsThere is unequivocal evidence that sleep plays critical roles in achieving the key goals to which Canadian schools are committed. Sleep restriction and poor sleep habits resulting from hectic, demanding, unbalanced lifestyles; pressure for academic success; participation in extracurricular activities; and the low priority given to sleep over competing activities are prevalent in Canadian youth of all ages and may significantly impair their learning, well-being, and health. Attempts to integrate sleep health education into school curricula meet with multiple barriers. Some of these barriers can be overcome by using community-based participation to develop and implement school-based sleep health education programs. ConclusionSuccessful school-based sleep health promotion programs hold the promise of having a long-lasting positive impact on students' physical and mental health, academic performance and daytime functioning.