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How to help your child sleep better

One of the keys to keeping your kids happy and healthy is making sure they get enough sleep, a new study has found.

That should come as no surprise to parents, right? But it turns out that even 39 minutes can make a difference, the results show.

In the study published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open, researchers followed 100 children aged 8 to 12 years old living in New Zealand. The kids alternated between a week of going to bed an hour earlier and an hour later – with a week at the usual time in between the two.

Then, using a questionnaire, the children and their parents rated their sleep disturbance and impairment during the day. The researchers also conducted a survey of children about their health-related quality of life.

The study found that the children in the study regularly slept between eight and 11 hours a night and were generally considered healthy.

The study found that after one week of sleeping less than 39 minutes a night, these children reported lower overall health and ability to cope in school.

“We all know we feel better when we have a good night’s sleep, but there’s very little data using experimental designs that actually shows (how) the impact can be as big as that.” how,” the study’s lead author, Rachael Taylor, said in an email. “This kind of intervention data is the only way we can ‘prove’ that changing one behavior actually affects another.”

Research covers many aspects of happiness, including assessments of how children feel physically and psychologically, in their relationships with parents and peers, and how they feel about school, Taylor, medical research professor at the University. Otago in New Zealand.

The assessment included questions about whether the children felt they could pay attention at school and feel physically healthy, and whether they had the energy to play and spend time with friends. or not.

Not all children were able to cut their sleep over the course of an hour during the study, Taylor said. But no matter how much they decrease it causes a decline in their health, she said. And the effect was even greater if study participants lost sleep for half an hour or more, she added.

“We haven’t seen this type of study looking at quality of life or health-related quality of life outcomes, which we know is really important because that’s often what can really make a splash. resonates with families, with teachers, with public health officials, as we think about the importance of promoting healthy sleep,” said Ariel Williamson, pediatric sleep specialist at The Hospital. Children of Philadelphia said.

Williamson, also an assistant professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, was not involved in the study.

SLEEP PRIORITY

Taylor said the children in the study were followed from July 4 to September 1, 2022, and questions remain regarding the long-term impact.

“We don’t know what the long-term impact might be – maybe kids adapt, maybe not and their health gets even worse,” Taylor said in an email.

In the meantime, she advises families “don’t underestimate the value of sleep and prioritize sleep as much as possible.”

It’s easy to overlook a little sleep loss, Taylor adds, but poor quality sleep can lead to overeating junk food, poorer school performance and impaired mental health.

And while getting enough sleep is important, it’s also important to create an individualized plan for your family, Williamson says.

Some children with neurodevelopmental differences, such as autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, such as changes in sleep needs, or work or activity schedules may make it hard for you to go to bed as early as your child would like, she adds. .

If you think your child could benefit from more sleep, Williamson recommends starting small and even pushing back bedtime by 15 minutes.

And quality is just as important as quantity. For better sleep, she recommends kids have the same bedtime every night (even on weekends), turn off screens 30 minutes before bed, and stick to a bedtime routine, she adds. .

For some children, it may mean soothing activities that get them moving towards bed, but for others it may mean dancing or stretching to get their bodies ready. Williamson said.

Some families may prioritize bathing, reading, and bedtime routines for younger children, but older children and even adults can benefit from following a schedule that alerts the brain and body that it’s time to settle down, she said.

“Sometimes I think if we focused more on sleep, many other aspects of the health and well-being of children would be greatly improved,” Taylor said. After all, she said, who doesn’t love a good night’s sleep?



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