At an early age, sleep is more important than ever, as it is crucial for proper bodily and cognitive development. A study from the University of Maryland (USA) has discovered that children of primary school age who sleep less than nine hours a night could have brain alterations in areas related to memory, intelligence and well-being.
The research, which has been published in the journal The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, has revealed that these brain differences could lead to greater mental health problems in children, such as anxiety, childhood depression or impulsive behaviors, in addition to cognitive difficulties, for example. , in memory, decision making and problem solving.
Experts from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend that children between the ages of six and 12 get between nine and 12 hours of sleep each day for optimal health. This has been the first study that has analyzed the impact of poor sleep on the neurocognitive development of preadolescents.
The importance of creating good sleep habits in children
To come up with the results, the researchers examined MRI scans, medical records and sleep surveys of some 8,300 children between the ages of nine and 10, who were followed up over a two-year period. They found that during those two years the children’s sleep gradually declined, although they determined that it was normal just before they entered adolescence.
Children who slept less than 9 hours a day had less brain volume in areas related to memory, attention and inhibition
“We found that children who hadn’t gotten enough sleep — less than nine hours a night — at the start of the study had less gray matter or smaller volume in certain areas of the brain responsible for controlling attention, memory and inhibition, compared to those with healthy sleep,” said Ze Wang, one of the study’s authors.
Although more studies are needed to confirm the results, getting children more than nine hours of rest each night could be a simple intervention in daily habits that could help prevent neurological problems. For its part, the American Academy of Pediatrics has urged parents to promote good sleep habits in their children, for which they advise:
Make getting enough sleep a family priority.
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