A Datafolha study published on March 12th showed that Brazilians of all ages complain about sleeping badly and that the quality of their sle ep slowly worsens over the years. According to sleep specialists, a fastpaced life, concerns about money and jobs, and lack of physical exercise are some of the reasons that have made resting more difficult for Brazilians.

For children and teenagers, mobile phone use is a hindrance to sleep. According to a London King’s College study from early 2018, mobile phone use before bedtime affects the hormones that help us fall asleep, feel satisfied after eating, and grow, thus increasing the risk of diseases such as obesity and depression in children.

The lack of rest also hinders learning, because it makes us more distracted and interferes with memory consolidation, according to the Brazilian Sleep Association. Studies show that children between the ages of 6 and 12 need 9 to 11 hours of sleep. Teenagers aged 13 to 17 need, on average, 10 hours of sleep.

QUESTIONS – level 3

1. What is the main message of the text?

a. Only the elderly sleep badly in Brazil.
b. Children and teenagers do not have sleep problems.
c. Brazilians’ quality of sleep is the same.
d. Brazilians of all ages are sleeping badly.

2. How many hours do you need to sleep to be rested?