From the Acting Leader of Wellbeing - Year 9
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students of Year 9,
I hope this newsletter finds you all well and rested. I'm writing to you in a slightly different format today because I want to address something important: sleep! But before I dive into that, let me extend a warm welcome to both our students and parents. It's great to have you all on board!
Firstly, I want to say a big thank you to all the students who completed the PIVOT wellbeing surveys this term. Your input is incredibly valuable in helping us understand how we can support each other better. Overall, as a group, our PIVOT surveys have shown that our protective behaviors are strong, which is fantastic news for our wellbeing. However, there's one area that needs a bit of attention: sleep.
Sleep is super important for our overall health and happiness. It helps us concentrate in class, boosts our mood, and gives our bodies the rest they need to grow and stay healthy. But I know sometimes it can be hard to get enough sleep, especially when there's homework to do, games to play, and friends to chat with.
So, I wanted to share some tips with you all on how to manage your sleep better:
- Stick to a Routine: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body's internal clock and makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
- Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine: Wind down before bed with activities like reading, listening to calming music, or taking a warm bath. Avoid screens like phones and tablets, as the blue light can interfere with your body's natural sleep cycle.
- Limit Caffeine and Sugary Drinks: Try to avoid drinks like V and Redbull, coffee, tea, and soft drinks in the afternoon and evening, as they can make it harder to fall asleep.
- Make Your Bedroom a Sleep-Friendly Environment: Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet to create the perfect sleeping environment. Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillow to ensure a good night's sleep.
- Get Plenty of Exercise: Regular physical activity can help improve the quality of your sleep. Just make sure not to exercise too close to bedtime, as it can make it harder to fall asleep.
Now, I also wanted to let you know that I'm planning to run a focus group that includes both the student voice and parent voice to delve deeper into this issue and come up with some strategies to improve our sleep habits as a year group. I would really appreciate it if parents could share their thoughts and ideas with me via phone (9626 4000) or email (nweaver@parra.catholic.edu.au). Your input is invaluable in helping us create a plan that works for everyone. Students please remember, if you ever need someone to talk to about your wellbeing, myself and the rest of the wellbeing team are here for you.
As always, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to the parent community for your unwavering support and partnership in nurturing the holistic development of our students. Together, we can empower our students to thrive and make a positive impact in the world.
With warm regards,
Mr Nathan Weaver
Acting Year 9 Leader of Wellbeing