BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Just 39 minutes of sleep can make a difference in your child’s health, happiness and behavior. That’s according to a new study published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open.
Researchers monitored 100 kids ages eight to twelve.
The children who regularly slept between eight and eleven hours a night were considered generally healthy.
After one week of getting just 39 minutes less sleep per night though, the children reported a lower overall well-being and ability to cope at school.
Bakersfield pediatrician Dr. Javier Bustamante spoke about just how important it is for parents to be aware of this.
"Sleep plays a crucial role in the development of young minds and affects the overall well-being of kids. Sleep affects their attention, their cognitive performance, their mood, their learning. All those things are important," he said.
Dr. Bustamante said a big reason why kids are losing sleep is screen time. Whether it be video games, television, tablets or iPhones, he said using those devices before bedtime or in the middle of the night can be detrimental.
"If you look at daylight, which is the color of screens, it disrupts your [sleep]," he said. "The flow of spinal fluid through these channels to clean your brain and detox it so you can wake up refreshed is impacted by these glances at [screens] in the middle of the night."
Dr. Bustamante said he strongly discourages keeping phones, computers or T.V.'s in a child’s bedroom.
He also suggested having set bedtimes and wake-up times, even on weekends, and end screen time for the day at least an hour before the kids go to sleep.
If you’re concerned about your child’s sleeping habits or health, Dr. Bustamante said to visit your pediatrician.
