When children start school in kindergarten, they are generally excited at the prospect of making new friends and learning to read and write. The charm of unaffected innocence. If only learning (and making friends) was as simple as it was expected.

Literacy, numeracy, problem solving, and reading comprehension attainment are important skills for potential academic success. However, research suggests it is the development of character traits or qualities such as persistence, self-control, curiosity, conscientiousness, grit, and self-confidence that are key to not only developing a resilient mindset, ability to bounce back from setbacks, but also support academic success.

It's almost that time of year when thousands of children don on their shiny new school shoes and head through the school gates for the first time. Some children look forward to making new friends, becoming a whole year 'smarter', and using their new stationery. For others the days leading up to the first day of school can be filled with nerves.

Sleep occupies one-third of our time on earth. Scientist still don't know why we need it. But what they do know, is we need it.

Research suggests that a poor night's sleep can trigger up to 30 percent rise in anxiety levels. Sleep disruption is now recognised as a contributing factor of all anxiety disorders with a reduction in sleep found to predict consequential day-to-day increases in anxiety.

Sleep is an important function of living beings. With that in mind, what do the experts tell us on how to harness this free source that only we can control?