Nowthatschoolhasstarted,manyparentsfindthemselvesstrugglingtoshifttheirkidsbacktoaworkingroutine.AstheyshaveofftimeforTVandtheInternettomakewayforschoolwork,parentsmaywanttoaddextraforthatotherbigcontributortosuccessatschool:sleep.Recentresearchonkidshasconnectedtheimportanceofsleepnotonlytocognition,buttobehaviorandmoodaswell. 　　SomeresearcherstheorizethattheREM,orrapideyemovement,phaseofsleepiswhenthebrainproducesandconsolidatesneuralnetworksformemoryandcognition.It'sakindof"formattingofthebrain,"saysRalphDowney,anexpertofsleepmedicineatLomaLindaUniversityandChildren'sHospitalinSouthernCaliforniaandaspokespersonfortheAmericanAcademyofSleepMedicine.Beforetheageof6,atypicalchildwillrequirebetween12and13hoursofsleeppernight,saysJudithOwens,associateprofessorofpediatricsatBrownUniversityandanotedexpertonchildhoodsleepdisorders.Atage6,10to11hoursareneeded.Whiletheamountofsleepnecessarydropsoncekidsreachadolescence,Owensnotes,"theystillneedatleastninehoursunderidealcircumstances." 　　Whatiftheycomeupshort?Asleep-deprivedchild'sreactionisoftendifferentfromthelowenergyandsleepinessexperiencedbyadults."Reducingtheamountofhoursachildsleepsmanifestsitselfinthechildbecomingwiredandhyperexcitable--exhibitingbehaviorsimilartochildrenwithattentiondeficitdisorder,"saysDavidGozal,directorofthepediatricsleepprogramattheUniversityofLouisvilleinKentucky.Kids'emotionsmaybecomeerratic,saysGozal,andtheymaybelessapttolistenorpayattention.ResearchersattheUniversityofMontrealreportthatastudyofyoungchildrenshowedthatthosewhosleptsignificantlyfewerhoursthantherecommended10weremorehyperactiveandimpulsivethanthosewhogotplentyofshuteyeandscoredlowerontwocognitiveskillstests. 　　"Ourresultsindicatethatamodestbutchronicreductionofjustonehourofsleepnightlyinearlychildhoodcanaffectthechild'scognitiveperformanceatschoolentry,"saysDominiquePetit,asleepresearcherandcoauthorofthestudy.Shethinksthere'sacriticalperiodinearlychildhoodwhenthelackofsleepisparticularlydetrimentaltodevelopment,evenifsleephabitsimprovelateron. 　　Butmoving"lightsout"earliercanbeabigchallenge.MarkGoetting,asleepmedicinespecialistandmedicaldirectoroftheSleepHealthCenterinPortage,Mich.,offerssomerecommendations: 　　Createpositiveassociationswithgoingtobed."Often,parentswillsaytoachild,'Youcanstayupaslongasyou'regood,'or,'Ifyoudon'tdowhatIsay,you'regoingtobed.'It'snothealthytoassociategoingtobedwithpunishment,"saysGoetting."Parentsandchildrenwillbegintoseebedtimeasapowerstruggle."And,ofcourse,bothwanttowin. 　　Establishawind-downperiodbeforebed.Aroutine(likereadingstories)canletachildknowthathe'sheadedtowardbedtimeandcanhelphimslowdown. 　　Constructabedroomenvironmentthatpromotessleep."Abedroomshouldnotbeaterriblystimulatingplace,"saysGoetting.Somovethetelevisions,brightlights,andtoys. 　　Whenthekidssleepbetter,parentsmaynoticeadifferenceintheirownqualityoflife,too."Parentsaredefinitelybetterrestedthemselves--theirmoodisbetter,theyfeelmorealert--andareableto