Sleep Needs for Children, 3

Because early adolescence is a crucial period for neurocognitive development, Dr. Wang and colleagues at the University of Maryland investigated how insufficient sleep affects the mental health, cognition, brain function, and brain structure in children ages 9-10 years old over a period of two years. Research showed that the brains of children who sleep less than nine hours per night had significant differences in specific brain areas compared with peers who slept nine or more hours per night. At the beginning of the study, brain imaging showed that children who sept less than nine hours per night had less grey matter or smaller volume in areas of the brain responsible for attention, memory, wellbeing, and inhibition controls. This finding persisted at the two-year-follow-up visit when participants were 11-12 years of age. Less than nine hours per night was also associated with increased risks of depression, anxiety, and impulsive behaviors.