The Health Benefits Of Early Sleep To Children

Making sure little ones get enough sleep might just be one of the best things one could do for their health, both now and later on, experts have said.
At a time communication gadgets are on the increase, with addiction taking sleep off most men, children should be spared, they must be encouraged to sleep early.
Scientists have long known that children who don’t get enough sleep may be at an increased risk of obesity, among other health concerns.
A new study has even suggested that having a late bedtime is linked to a greater obesity risk later in life, too.
“This study adds to a body of research that demonstrates that young children benefit from having a regular bedtime and bedtime routine,” said Sarah Anderson, lead author of the study and associate professor of epidemiology at the College of Public Health, Ohio State University.
It is a general belief that foods can cause obesity in children, but the study revealed that sleeping pattern and timing could be factors determining obesity.
For the study, which was published in the September edition of the Journal of Paediatrics, researchers analysed data on 977 children, who were part of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development.
The data, which tracked the children from pre-school age to adolescence, indicated at what time they went to bed when they were about 4½ years old, as well as their height, weight and body mass index when they were about 15.
After comparing the children’s bedtimes with their health as teenagers, the researchers found that only 10 per cent of the children who went to bed at 8.00 p.m. or earlier during their pre-school years were obese as teenagers.  However, 23 per cent of the children who went to bed after 9.00 p.m. as pre-schoolers were obese as teenagers.
For the children who went to bed between 8.00 p.m. and 9.00 p.m. as pre-schoolers, about 16 per cent were obese as teenagers.
“Pre-school age children with early weekday bedtimes were half as likely as children with late bedtimes to be obese as adolescents. This was true even after taking into account other factors that we know are related to risk for obesity,” Anderson said.
“Other research has shown benefits for children’s behaviour, cognitive development and attention.
“Regular bedtime routines, including an early bedtime, are also linked to fewer sleep problems, such as night time awakenings or difficulty falling asleep,” she said.
There are a number of plausible potential mechanisms in this case, Anderson said.
“First, children who have a regular early bedtime are more likely to get enough sleep. Not getting enough sleep can result in changes in the hormones controlling appetite and metabolism.
“Also, staying up later in the evening provides more opportunity for snacking and viewing television commercials that promote snacking.
“Recommending that preschool-aged children are in bed by 8.00 p.m. is a potentially modifiable household routine that may help to prevent obesity,” she added.
While an early and full night’s sleep for children can benefit their bodies, it also can improve their brains.
“An early bedtime benefits a child’s physical health, as well as mood and mental health, because it allows time for restorative sleep, which is important for the repair and recovery of the brain and the body,” said Reut Gruber, researcher at McGill University in Canada and director of the Attention, Behaviour and Sleep Lab at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute. Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

Categories: Lifestyles