Snooze or Lose

Their message to kids was clear: Get some sleep.

When students in Lecturer Rick Weissbourd's January term module were asked to create an intervention for at-risk children, one team knew it had to be something that was doable — not just for themselves (J-term classes last just two weeks), but also for the already-burdened Boston Public Schools they were targeting. And they knew that for anyone to be interested, their project had to address a real problem. So they proposed a comprehensive yet straightforward campaign that encourages elementary students to turn off the televisions, put down the caffeinated sodas, and get to bed.

As Bethanne Bower, Ed.M.'12, says, "Sleep deprivation is a problem everyone can relate to."

For students, it's especially problematic. One study of elementary-aged students reported that three-quarters watch television as part of their bedtime routines. Another study of fourth- and fifth-graders showed that after decreasing sleep by one hour a night from the recommended 10, test scores dropped. Sleep-deprived students struggle to pay attention, focus, and be creative. Sleep deprivation can also lead to behavioral and emotional problems and, in some cases, health issues.

So Bower, along with Kennedy School students Cris Garza and Erin Wang, created a campaign using the slogan, "Snooze or Lose: It's 8 p.m.! Let's jump in bed with a book!" The plan included working with three groups: families, schools, and cities. With families, they would provide basic information about the importance of sleep and recommendations for helping elementary-aged children sleep better, such as practicing relaxation techniques and removing "sleep stealers" from bedrooms — televisions, computers, and game systems. They would promote consistent bedtime routines that include reading and keeping a sleep log.

With schools, the idea was to form a partnership to help educate parents and students, as well as develop a sleep curriculum tailored toward each grade. With city officials, they would create a public service campaign to raise awareness of the issue within the broader community. Each of these groups would be linked.

"All three of these components must collaborate with each other, so that students get the sleep they need to be successful in school," says Garza, who remembers teaching days when his exciting and well-prepared lesson plans were no match for the fourth-graders who came to class exhausted. "This project gave me a chance to work on the institutional and behavioral roots of the issue."

The students are also hoping to recruit community partners like ReadBoston or Children's Hospital Boston to help spread the word, as well as local celebrities and sports players who would be on billboards and in ads.

And it may just happen. Just as the J-term was ending, all of the students in Weissbourd's module presented their projects to Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, superintendents from Boston and Cambridge, and leaders from local nonprofits. City officials were very positive about the interventions, says Weissbourd, Ed.D.'87, and have followed up with him on several, including Snooze or Lose.

Garza says that as they were giving their presentation, he, Bower, and Wang sensed interest.

"Given that the public officials and other leaders in the room are hardworking people and most likely sleep deprived, they were still engaged throughout the presentation," he says. "We knew they were interested in Snooze or Lose when we completed the presentation and, rather than ask us questions, they proceeded to debate amongst themselves the merits of a campaign, what a potential campaign could look like, and how to handle related issues, such as nutrition."