On October 17th, the Glenbard Parent Series hosted a health expo and program with John Medina, based on his books "Attack of the Teenage Brain" and "Brain Rules: Principles for Thriving."
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| John Medina and Melissa Calfo |
Glenbard South parent Melissa Calfo shared this takeaway:
"It's important for parents to understand the teen brain and understand executive function (impulse/self-control). Teens stomping to their rooms and slamming the door is normal adolescent behavior. What works to improve thinking skills and mood is aerobic exercise, sleep and getting your stress under control. Emotional stability in the home is also key. Dr. Medina shared the science behind these facts, facts that apply to us all."
You will always learn at a GPS event. Please check out Dr. John Medina's web site and many books for more information as well as parent summary notes, below.
Resources for Dr. John Medina
Brain Rules/John Medina web site HERE
Brain Rules/John Medina You Tube Videos HERE
Parent Notes on Dr. John Medina's presentation to GPS on Oct. 17
Jay Giedd - main researcher on Teen Brain Behavior
Michael Posner - main lead on Executive Function
- average age the brain finally matures - 24 years
- mental time travel - ability to evaluate levels of risk of a potential scenario and make action decisions accordingly
Average initial onset of mental health disorders - 14.1 years of age
Sleep:
It takes 96 hours (4 days) for the body to fully recover from an all nighter.
Average adult needs at least 8 hours of sleep
Average teen needs at least 9.5 hours of sleep
executive function lowers when in need of sleep, as does mood (crankiness)
Blue effect - the glow of devices tricks the brain into thinking it is daylight.
Need to disconnect from screen time at least 2 hours prior to bed.
Brain Rule: Aerobic exercise (NOT strength training) specifically boosts Executive
Function and buffers against negative effects of stress
150 minutes for 7 days = adequate, moderate aerobic exercise
(30 minutes, 5 days per week)
Tangney - SCS (self control scale), Executive Function Scale
Mindfulness Training - 8 week Training will boost Executive Function