New study highlights how kids who don’t get enough sleep face mental health issues

According to a new study published in the JAMA Network Open journal, children who do not get enough sleep are prone to greater risk of mental health issues. This new study highlights why parents need to be more cautious about their child’s sleeping habits.

Over the years, experts have pointed out how sleep is important for children. According to a new study conducted by a group of Norwegian reserachers, children who gets least sleep have the greatest risk of developing mental health issues. This latest study highlights the importance of why parents must be watchful of their child’s sleeping patterns. A child must get at least eight to nine hours of good sleep every day.

Importance of sleep

The latest study was published in the journal JAMA Network Open. The study was conducted on over 800 children over the past many years. It highlighted how children, especially boys, who gets lack of sleep has many psychological issues including ADHD, anxiety and depression.

Study researcher Bror M Ranum of Norwegian University of Science and Technology says in the journal, “If we make sure our children get enough sleep, it can help protect them from mental health problems. We are seeing an association between sleep duration and risk of symptoms of emotional and behavioural disorders”.

The study points out that boys who gets lesser sleep are prone to psychiatric issues. Whereas, boys and girls are prone to emotional stress too if they do not get enough sleep. Though the study does not point out on how quality of sleep makes a difference, experts highlight that a good night’s sleep can do wonders to a child.

A detailed study

The study was conducted over a period of time on children between the age groups of four to fourteen years. Their sleep patterns were measured using motion sensors every night for a week before researchers arrived at the conclusion.

“Sleep is essential for mental and physical well-being of a child. We often get many cases where children are sleep-deprived. Even parents are unaware of it. Whether the child is unable to sleep due to psychological problems or not can be known only after detailed counselling. But studies like this highlight the importance on why parents must be more cautious. The child must get enough sleep”, says Anate Augustine, a psychologist from Bengaluru.

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