Kids, Sleep, and Brain Development

Once again, it’s time for me to remind you of the importance of sleep for your kids if you desire their healthy development. A new study published in the Lancet Child and Adolescent Health journal found that for our elementary-school aged children, routinely sleeping less than nine hours a night may have a lasting negative impact on their neurocognitive development. The study tracked the sleep habits of over eight thousand nine and ten year olds. Those who regularly slept less than nine hours a night showed a smaller gray matter volume in the brain regions responsible for memory, attention, and inhibition-control. These kids also showed the negative effects of issues with memory, anxiety, depression, problem-solving, and school performance. In today’s high pressure media-saturated world, we need to be diligent about getting our kids to shut down and get enough sleep. God made our bodies to flourish when we get enough rest. Parents, make sure your kids are getting enough sleep.