Anwar Shafi, MD, Discusses the Growing Problem of Sleepy Kids By Rebecca Budde | Photos by Jason Johnson Published in Aspects, 40-1, Winter 2017 Experts caution: Sleep is not a luxury; it’s a necessity for good health. It’s no secret that the sleep debt is growing like the national debt in American adults. Studies show that our children are walking in our sleepy footsteps, and it’s causing innumerable negative consequences. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, young children should get 11-12 hours of shuteye while school-aged children should sleep at least 10 hours