Sleep and teens: Why sleeping 10 minutes more can make a difference
A study suggests that sleeping less than 8 hours can affect reading, concentration and problem solving.
BarcelonaAdolescence is a crucial period for cognitive development, and sleep hours may influence memory, attention, and language function. This is the suggestion of a new study from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University in China, which details that young people who sleep longer (even just a few minutes apart) may have better brain function. The results were published this Tuesday in the journalCell Reports.
Experts establish that adolescents should sleep between 8 and 10 hours each day to have good cognitive development and to strengthen the immune system and mental health. However, good sleep habits are not easy to achieve: the article highlights that the study participants who performed best also did not get the recommended number of hours of sleep for their age group. "Although we know a lot about sleep in adulthood and old age, we know surprisingly little about sleep during adolescence," says Barbara Sahakian, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge.
deprivation of rest It can accelerate physical and intellectual aging and predisposes us to diseases such as diabetes and risk factors for cancer and dementia. It is believed that while we sleep, toxins that have accumulated in the brain are eliminated and brain connections are consolidated, improving memory, learning, and problem-solving skills. During childhood, we sleep a lot (between 11 and 14 hours), But it has been observed that sleep patterns change during adolescence.
Young people tend to go to bed later and sleep less, which affects body clocks and circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycles, such as sleep and wakefulness. To carry out the research, scientists used data from the studyAdolescent Brain Cognitive Development(ABCD), considered the largest long-term study of child brain development conducted in the United States. Researchers analyzed the sleep patterns of 3,200 children between the ages of 11 and 12 and compared them with an additional control group of 1,190 participants between the ages of 13 and 14.
The participants were divided into three groups. Those in the first, who represent around 39% of young people, sleep 7 hours and 10 minutes and tend to be the last to go to bed and the first to get up.
While no significant differences were found between the groups in terms of academic performance, there were contrasts in their cognitive activity. For example, a sleep schedule considered insufficient negatively affects reading, concentration, and problem-solving, explains Sahakian.
Regarding the causes, Fudan University doctor Wei Cheng insists that more research is needed: "Is it due toplaying video games or using smartphones"Or is it that their circadian rhythms don't tell them it's time to sleep later?"
