Children sleep less than 9 hours, brain damage

Is your baby still boiling oil and lighting the lamp roll to score points? Lack of sleep in children can continue to impair brain health and cognitive development, a study published today warns

Also, it's worth noting that these differences not only pull apart intelligence levels, but are also associated with more mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, impulsivity, and more

The study also found that children who got enough sleep needed less sleep over the two-year follow-up period, which is normal into adolescence, but children who were sleep deprived did not experience much change in their sleep patterns

These results were obtained after the researchers took into account socioeconomic status, gender, puberty status and other factors that may affect children's sleep duration and affect brain and cognition

Currently, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that children ages 6 to 12 get regular sleep and get enough 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night to promote optimal health

The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to develop good sleep habits in their children, noting that ensuring children get enough sleep is the primary responsibility of families

The study included more than 8,300 9- to 10-year-old children in the Adolescent Brain Cognition (ABCD) study, including MRIs, medical records, and surveys completed by participants and their parents during the study and two years of follow-up.