brain and sleep : Often when small children sleep at home, they get scolded. Most parents feel that their child is being lazy to avoid going to work or school. This may happen in some children but children should not be stopped from getting complete sleep. This is very important for their mental development. It's important for parents to remember that sleep is very important for young brains.
In such a situation, children should be asked to sleep well. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has shown that disrupting the sleep of young children can have dangerous consequences.
Good sleep is important for the brain
Poor quality sleep is harmful for the brain. A study led by Professor Graham Dearing of the University of North Carolina found that sleep plays a very important role in the development of the nervous systems necessary for learning and memory. However, its contribution varies between children and adolescents.
Impact of sleep on children and youth
According to studies, for adults sleep is mainly related to maintenance and repair, but for children sleep is vital for their development. It is essential for brain development and strengthening synaptic connections. Researchers tested mice and found that poor sleep quality affected the brains of young mice more than that of adults. They found that young brains are not able to cope with sleep deprivation as well as adults.
This suggests that poor sleep quality or lack of sleep in children has adverse effects on their brain, which can be seen in the long run. In such a situation, parents should help their children develop good habits from sleeping to waking up.
Sleep's link to neurodevelopmental disorders
The study found an association between sleep disturbances and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. When researchers tested mice, they found that sleep loss affected Cas proteins in the brain, which are essential for learning and memory. These are the same proteins that are also associated with genetic risk factors for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). If a child has a genetic predisposition for autism, lack of sleep can aggravate it, increasing their risk. Therefore, parents should understand how important sleep is for children.