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How adequate sleep could reduce impulsive behaviour in children

A new study found that sufficient sleep can reduce the negative impact of stressful environments on children’s behaviour

A new study shows how sleep is linked to children’s behaviour.
A new study shows how sleep is linked to children’s behaviour. (Pexels)

It's well-known that sleep is important for children’s overall health and impacts their mood and energy. A new study has found that sleep is also linked to their behaviour. The findings show that sufficient sleep can also reduce the negative impact of stressful environments on children’s behaviour and help them not do things impulsively.

The study by researchers from the Youth Development Institute at the University of Georgia (UGA), found a good amount of sleep can help children avoid the effects of environmental stressors such as deadlines, peer problems, and exams. Stressful environments can make adolescents reach out for immediate rewards rather than delayed ones, the researchers said in a statement by UGA. They examined this link and what makes some people behave differently. One of the factors they found was sleep.

Also read: Understanding sleep quality and ways to improve it: A guide

For the study, the researchers analysed data from 11,858 children from nine to ten years old and found that lack of sleep and long sleep latency—the amount of time it takes to fall asleep—had significant associations with impulsive behaviours. When children got less than the recommended nine hours of sleep or took more than 30 minutes to get to sleep, a strong association with impulsive behaviours was observed over time, according to the statement. Some of the impulsive behaviours include acting without a plan and seeking thrills that could put them at risk.

The study also shows how low-cost interventions help the psychological development of children who face stressful environments at home.

“If you want to develop interventions for people in stressful environments, it’s very costly, and sometimes it needs generational work to change,” lead author Linhao Zhang said in the statement. “Sleep is a modifiable behaviour, however, and these changes can be cost-efficient.”

The study highlights why it is important to prioritise sleep even if by delaying school start times or establishing routines, the researchers said in the statement. It can help create healthier habits and reduce the time it takes for adolescents to sleep.

Previous studies have shown how sleep can have adverse effects on children’s well-being. A 2020 study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry showed that children with more middle-childhood sleep problems experienced greater psychosocial problems and worse quality of life.

Also read: How people feel about sleep quality impacts well-being

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