May is Mental Health Awareness Month – a time to spotlight the everyday habits that help children and teens thrive mentally, emotionally, and physically.
At EMBRACE, we believe one of the most powerful of these habits is sleep.
Through our Life Skills program in Romanian schools, children learn that a well-rested brain is a strong brain – better at managing emotions, staying focused in class, and bouncing back from challenges.
🌙 Here are 10 science-backed reasons why sleep is essential to a child’s mental well-being:
1️⃣ 🧠 Boosts Focus & Memory → Sleep strengthens brain connections that support learning and attention.
2️⃣ 😌 Regulates Emotions → Well-rested children manage emotions more calmly and recover from stress faster.
3️⃣ 🎓 Improves School Performance → Adequate sleep increases cognitive flexibility and motivation.
4️⃣ 🎯 Supports Decision-Making → Rested minds are better at impulse control and thoughtful choices.
5️⃣ 🧬 Promotes Brain Development → Deep sleep nurtures the growing brain, especially in children and teens.
6️⃣ 💤 Reduces Mental Health Risks → Lack of sleep increases vulnerability to anxiety and depression.
7️⃣ 📉 Combats Fatigue & Burnout → Good sleep restores physical and mental energy.
8️⃣ 💥 Strengthens Stress Response → Sleep lowers cortisol and enhances emotional resilience.
9️⃣ 💗 Builds Confidence & Self-Esteem → Feeling rested supports self-image and participation.
🔟 🧭 Creates Routine & Stability → Consistent sleep schedules build a sense of safety and structure.
📚 Backed by research from the WHO Europe:
🔹 Guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age (https://tinyurl.com/w7s3uadx)
🔹 WHO technical meeting on sleep and health (https://tinyurl.com/2htytsr8)
🔹WHO Report on Health Behaviours of 11–15-Year-Olds in Europe (https://tinyurl.com/46dhws88)
🔹WHO Fact Sheet on Adolescent Mental Health (https://tinyurl.com/k5t9um7s)
🔹WHO Study on Physical Activity, Screen Time and Sleep Habits of Children (https://tinyurl.com/u3ph5ky6)
🌍 During Mental Health Awareness Month, EMBRACE is proud to highlight the importance of sleep as a life skill – not just for physical health, but for emotional balance, academic growth, and lifelong resilience.
Our partners – Fundatia Serviciilor Sociale Bethany (FSSB), Fundatia de Sprijin Comunitar (FSC), Federatia Organizatiilor Neguvernamentale pentru Copil (FONPC), Asociatia “Bună Ziua, Copii din România”` (BZRO) and Evolutionary Archetypes Consulting SL (EA) – are working across Romania to help children build lasting habits for well-being, starting with sleep.
#EMBRACEProject #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #SleepMatters #ChildMentalHealth #EUfunded #EmotionalLiteracy #EducationMatters #Wellbeing #EACEA
