Everyone sees and hears all about the importance of diet and exercise. If it is on a T.V. commercial, in a magazine or from a friend, we all understand that in order to be healthy we must eat right and exercise. One crucial missing link is the importance of sleep. Sleep rejuvenates the body and mind and is necessary for a healthy lifestyle. According to the National Sleep Foundation, (Davila, December, 2009) not only does sleep regulate mood and is related to learning and memory functions but it will also improve test performance, learning of a new skill, and maintaining concentration. The National Sleep Foundation also stresses the importance of exercise during the day and not right before bed. Exercising right before bed raises body temperature, making the nights sleep less restful. It is important to allow the body to cool down before heading to bed. The NSF also points out research from Dr. Van Cauter. Van Cauter (Davila, December, 2009) points out that people who don't get enough sleep are more likely to have bigger appetites due to a hormone called leptin. When leptin levels fall, your appetite increases since leptin is an appetite–regulating hormone.
Most fundamental to the developing child are health habits involving sleep, diet and exercise. Obesity has become a serious public health problem and childhood obesity is a precursor to adult obesity. Physical activity has been linked with a range of beneficial health outcomes in adults and so it is no surprise that physical activity during childhood has a positive impact on growth and development and psychological and emotional outcomes that may continue into adulthood. (Ross and Hayes, 1988) Inactivity, which includes "screen time", has also been associated with obesity in cross–sectional studies of children, adolescents and adults. (Gortmaker et al. , 1996)