One of the keys to keeping your child happy and healthy is to ensure that they receive sufficient good quality sleep consistently, a new study has found. According to researchers, even 39 minutes of extra sleep per night can make a difference and can result in significantly better physical and overall well-being of a child.
In the study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers monitored 100 children ages 8 to 12 living in New Zealand. The children alternated between a week of going to bed one hour earlier and one hour later - with one week at normal time in between the two. Then, using a questionnaire, they rated their sleep disturbances and impairment during the day. The researchers also administered a survey to the children about their health-related quality of life.
The study authors noted that the kids who participated regularly slept between eight and 11 hours a night and were considered generally healthy. They found that after one week of receiving 39 minutes less of sleep per night, the children reported lower overall well-being and ability to cope at school.
"Findings of this secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial indicate that ensuring children receive sufficient good-quality sleep is an important child health issue," the study read.
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In the study, the researchers covered many aspects of well-being, including an assessment of how the children felt physically, and psychologically, in their relationships with parents and peers, and how they felt about school. The assessment also included questions about whether the kids felt they were able to pay attention at school and felt physically fit, and whether they had the energy to have fun and spent time with their friends.
As per the study authors, not all children were able to cut back their sleep the full hour. However, whatever amount they reduced caused a decline in their well-being. The researchers noted that the impact was even greater if the study participants lost half an hour or more of sleep.
"We all know that we feel better with a good night's (sleep) but there are very few data using experimental designs that actually show just (how) big the impact might be," said lead study author Rachael Taylor, as per CNN.
"This sort of interventional data is the only way we can 'prove' that changing one behaviour actually does affect another," she added.
Ms Taylor advised families not to underestimate the value of sleep and to prioritise sleep as much as is feasible. She said that getting less good-quality sleep could result in eating more treat foods, worsening school performance and declines in mental health.
