China has laid out minimum requirements on sleeping hours for children and teenagers to curb sleep deprivation, the Ministry of Education said on April 2.

Primary school pupils should get a minimum of 10 hours of sleep a day, whereas middle and high school students should sleep no less than nine and eight hours per day, respectively, informed the press conference.

According to a blue paper on national mental health released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Psychology in early March, Chinese children and teenagers are getting less and less sleep, with more than 80 percent getting insufficient sleep on school days.

Students today are getting less sleep after moving into higher grade levels, since these higher levels often come with a heavier workload. Furthermore, problems with self-control on the part of some students, too, can contribute to their lack of sleep.

Inadequate sleep heightens the adolescents' chances of developing cognitive, mental and physical health problems, urging parents to play a role in guaranteeing they get enough sleep.

Moreover, China's education authorities will deploy technical means to make sure no video game service is available to minors from 22:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., according to the circular.

This is an edited excerpt of an article originally published in Guancha.gmw.cn on April 7      

(Print Edition Title: Get More Sleep)