I think it’s about time to start a sleep category - more evidence is being produced that sleep wards off obesity in children.

Researchers have found that every additional hour per night a third-grader spends sleeping reduces the child’s chances of being obese in sixth grade by 40 percent.

The less sleep they got, the more likely the children were to be obese in sixth grade, no matter what the child’s weight was in third grade, said Dr. Julie Lumeng of the University of Michigan, who led the research.

Children in elementay school, the study found, needed about 10 hours of sleep to reap in the most benefits. It may be tough for adults, but encourage and work in naps throughout the day or after school. Rested children will be less grouchy and more creative in the long run.