😴📱 Sleep and screen time play a powerful—and often underestimated—role in how children learn, behave, and feel each day. In this episode of The West Ada Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Eric Roy of St. Luke’s Children’s Treasure Valley Pediatrics and Tracey Garner, the district’s Health Services Supervisor, to unpack the real questions families and educators are asking about student sleep, screen use, and mental health.

🧠 The conversation explores the connection between sleep and learning, anxiety and depression in kids and teens, attention and behavior in the classroom, and the risks of excessive screen time, including early exposure to digital devices. Our guests share evidence-based guidance, practical strategies for families, and simple changes that can lead to better sleep and healthier habits.

🔗 Helpful resources mentioned in the episode:

• ABCD Study (child brain development): https://abcdstudy.org/
• American Academy of Pediatrics – Healthy Children: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/Pages/default.aspx
• The Anxious Generation: https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/
• West Ada Tech Help: https://westada.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/19

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 This is a must-listen for parents, educators, school staff, and caregivers looking for clarity, compassion, and actionable steps to support student wellness, mental health, and academic success—day and night.

🎓 Plus, Centennial High School’s co-student body presidents join us for The Student Pulse to share their perspective on student leadership, school culture, and what matters most to teens today. And if you don’t know the story of Pat Cash, stick around.
⏱️ The student conversation begins at 27:08.

#WeAreWestAda #StudentWellness #ScreenTime #HealthySleep #MentalHealthMatters #ParentingSupport #EducationPodcast