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Sleep Deprivation in Kids Linked With Cognitive Difficulties

written by / August 23, 2022
Sleep Deprivation in Kids Linked With Cognitive Difficulties

We’ve got some dire news for all you night owls. A brand new study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine linked sleep deprivation with behavioral problems, anxiety, and poor cognitive performance at school in children.

The study conducted some 8,300 MRI images of children aged 9–10 and found underdeveloped regions in their brains associated with memory, mental health, cognitive tasks, and general well-being.

Surprisingly, this includes children that get seven to eight hours of sleep per night, according to the study. Although this might be ample sleep for an adult, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends children aged 6 to 12 years get at least 9 hours of sleep.

The results of the study, published in the journal Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, show considerably thinner grey matter in the regions of the brain that regulate mental health and cognition compared to those who slept 9 to 12 hours per night

Researchers always knew that adolescence is a crucial period in the development of the brain. Yet, nobody expected such stark results, considering that very few children get eight hours of sleep as is, let alone 12. 

Lethargy, impulsive behavior, and anxiety and depression were some of the more common symptopms in sleep-deprived children. Cognitive difficulties, such as memory problems, hampered problem-solving capabilities, and poor decision-making, were also present.

Worse yet, two years after the initial study, researchers conducted a follow-up. What they found was concerning, to say the least. Namely, even after two years, the same neurodevelopmental differences were still present. This implies that a lack of sleep in children causes long-term consequences that quite possibly persist even in adulthood.

Marija Kovachevska is a content writer at LoudCloudHealth.com, Biochemist and Activist. After obtaining her BSc in Biochemistry and Physiology she changed her microscope for content research tools and continued researching in the fields of Medicine, Biology, and Communication. Her insatiable curiosity flare drove her to become a “content scientist writer” as she likes to say. Reality fascinates her and facts and statistics are a must-have feature in her articles. Fluent in English and French, she is a volunteer and communication associate for several non-profit organizations. French culture and handcrafting are her passion, but in her free time, she indulges in long walks and traveling, or as she likes to say “experiencing the inexperienced.”


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