HKC Electronic Free Zones Pledge (“Sign” at the Bottom)

“Un-invite Electronics to Dinner”

Sleep Sooner, and more Soundly & Safely by creating “Electronic-free Sleep Zones”

Positive Side-effects of Being Present at Dinner…

• …More communication & interaction = both …better vocabulary and …a better support network
• …Much lower rates of drug abuse and …lower rates of depression.
• …Also higher grades and healthier check-ups.

Negative Side-effects of Low Quality & Quantities of  Sleep

• MORE ELECTRONIC USE leads to  ->  LESS TIME FOR SLEEP
2 minutes slips into 2 hours w/ 1 last text, e-mail or face-book check in bed
• LATE ELECTRONIC USE also leads to  ->  LESS ABILITY TO SLEEP
Light in eyes cues daytime hormones, stimulates suprachiasmatic nuclei, suppresses melatonin, etc…
• LESS SLEEP leads to  ->  MORE PROBLEMS IN SCHOOL & MORE SICK TIME
Lack of sleep lowers immune function & learning retention, increasing absences & lowering grades.
• LESS SLEEP also leads to  ->  MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS & EMFs may be BAD for the BRAIN
Lack of sleep exacerbates stress, increases depression & anxiety, slows the filtration of toxins from the brain, and may trigger mental illness onset. EMF exposure lowers serotonin levels, changes other brain chemistry, affects neural signals & brain plasticity, and may imbalance cell growth/death.

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We pledge to forego the use of electronic gadgets during dinner.  We further pledge not to use or have electronics (even those not in use) in or around the bed at night.

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