Kids and Sleep
Sleep related problems are not uncommon in children and many parents will tell you that their child/children have had at least one sleep-related problem from the time they are born to about six years old. The most common issues are night terrors, bed wetting, and grinding teeth and most of the time these resolve completely as the child gets older.
But for some kids it can be a problem that persists and some sleep problems will not allow them to sleep for six consecutive hours or more.
Besides the obvious problem of sleep deprivation, researchers from the Université de Montréal are now reporting that they have found a link between sleep-related problems in this age group and being overweight and hyperactive.
The results of the 1,138 children followed and who slept less than 10 hours a night were as follows:
-26% were overweight-18.5% carried extra weight-7.4% were considered obese
The researchers believe one explanation is the correlation in the secretion of hormones that are brought on by a lack of sleep. Less sleep causes our stomach to secrete more of the hormone that stimulates appetite and produce less of the hormone whose function is to reduce the intake of food.
The study also found that inadequate sleep could also lead to hyperactivity, something that does not have the same effect in adults. In adults, inadequate sleep translates into sleepiness, but in children it creates excitement and hyperactivity.
The study also included a cognitive performance test that was given to the children and involved copying a picture using blocks of two colors. Researchers found that, among the children that lacked sleep, 41% performed poorly, compared with 17-21% of children with 10 to 11 hours of sleep per night.
Bottom line is that adequate sleep in the younger age kids is important for a variety of reasons.
But for some kids it can be a problem that persists and some sleep problems will not allow them to sleep for six consecutive hours or more.
Besides the obvious problem of sleep deprivation, researchers from the Université de Montréal are now reporting that they have found a link between sleep-related problems in this age group and being overweight and hyperactive.
The results of the 1,138 children followed and who slept less than 10 hours a night were as follows:
-26% were overweight-18.5% carried extra weight-7.4% were considered obese
The researchers believe one explanation is the correlation in the secretion of hormones that are brought on by a lack of sleep. Less sleep causes our stomach to secrete more of the hormone that stimulates appetite and produce less of the hormone whose function is to reduce the intake of food.
The study also found that inadequate sleep could also lead to hyperactivity, something that does not have the same effect in adults. In adults, inadequate sleep translates into sleepiness, but in children it creates excitement and hyperactivity.
The study also included a cognitive performance test that was given to the children and involved copying a picture using blocks of two colors. Researchers found that, among the children that lacked sleep, 41% performed poorly, compared with 17-21% of children with 10 to 11 hours of sleep per night.
Bottom line is that adequate sleep in the younger age kids is important for a variety of reasons.
posted by Anonymous at 5:42 AM
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