Late bedtimes and lack of sleep can negatively impact brain development

Short sleep duration and late bedtimes are potentially harmful Changes in functionality Our recently published research shows that it affects parts of the brain that are important for dealing with stress and regulating negative emotions, and children from families with fewer economic resources are particularly at risk.

we Neuroscientist Enthusiast about reduction Socioeconomic disparities in child developmentTo better understand how socioeconomic disadvantage affects children’s sleep health and brain development, we recruited 94 children ages 5 to 9 from socioeconomically diverse families living in New York City. Approximately 30% of participating families had incomes below the US poverty line.

The parents reported on their children’s sleep environment, family routines, and bedtime and wake-up times, and the children underwent magnetic resonance imaging scans to analyze the size of brain regions. It’s called the amygdala It also influences the strength of connections to other parts of the brain. Plays a key role in processing emotions and the amount of negative emotions a person experiences. Adversity experienced early in life It may affect the functioning of the amygdala.

Children from families with fewer economic resources tend to sleep less at night and go to bed later than children from families with more economic resources. Conversely, shorter sleep times and later bedtimes are associated with Shrinking of the amygdala and Weak connection The link between the amygdala and other areas of the brain that process emotions. This link between socioeconomic disadvantage, sleep duration and timing, and amygdala size and connectivity was also confirmed in children as young as 5 years old.

Our findings suggest that both the amount and timing of sleep are important for the function of brain regions involved in emotion processing.

Why is this important?

If you don’t get enough sleep, Mental health issues arise and Hindering academic achievementShorter sleep duration may make it harder for children to cope with stress and regulate their emotions. Children from families and communities with fewer socio-economic resources may be at higher risk of stress-related mental health problems as their environments may have a negative impact on their sleep health.

In my childhood, The brain develops rapidlyBecause of this, early childhood experiences can have lifelong effects on brain function: problems that arise in childhood can continue throughout one’s life.

Our findings highlight the importance of ensuring that all families have sufficient economic resources to support their children. Income supportFamilies who need support are looking to improve their children’s brain function and Mental health and academic achievement.

What we don’t know yet

Why do children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds have more difficulty sleeping?

Our research shows that parents who struggle to make ends meet have a harder time maintaining consistent family routines, which can lead to Inconsistent bedtime habitsThis may be one of the reasons why children are getting less sleep.

But perhaps Multiple factors They link socio-economic disadvantage to poor sleep quality, including not being able to afford a comfortable bed, overcrowding, neighborhood noise, and excessive light and heat.

What’s next?

Most of the research on sleep has focused on teenagers. Particularly at risk for sleep deprivationHowever, our findings suggest that environmental influences on sleep patterns and habits begin much earlier.

Interventions to improve sleep may need to begin earlier than adolescence to be most effective, and strengthening the economic resources of disadvantaged families may also be key to supporting children’s sleep health, brain development, and emotional well-being.

Emily C. Mertz is an assistant professor of psychology at Colorado State University. Melissa Hansen is a doctoral candidate in cognitive neuroscience at Colorado State University. This article is conversation Under Creative Commons License. read Original Article.