Nighttime Sleep Essential for Mental Development in Young Children

Good nighttime sleep at a very early age may help kick-start cognitive development and give kids a leg-up in school. The amount of nighttime sleep – not daytime naps – is the key component to advanced executive function in children, a study included in the November/December issue of Child Development reports.

Executive function is another name for a specific group of mental skill areas essential for success in the classroom. Skills include attentiveness, self-discipline, organization, memorization and the abilities to plan, think and work with others. Executive function develops rapidly across the first six years of life. Little is known about why some children are more successful at developing those skills than their peers.

The study followed 60 Canadian children between their 12 and 26 months of age. At the 12 and 18 month mark, each parent completed sleep diaries by recording when their child slept and for what length. Researchers tested the children’s executive function at 18 and 26 months of age.

Results show children who slept mostly at night did better at most executive function-related tests, especially the tasks involving impulse control. The number of times the children woke per night did not impact test results. The findings held true even after the authors adjusted for factors such as socio-economic class, parents’ education level and children’s general cognitive skills.

The authors of the study note that infant sleep later sets in motion the development of more advanced executive skills. This may help flesh out recent findings that linked earlier bedtimes to higher test scores in school-aged children.

The AASM recommends infants get a minimum of 14 hours of sleep per day for healthy development. Toddlers should sleep 12 to 14 hours per night. Start your child’s health habits out on the right foot and make their sleep a priority.

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Childhood Sleep Disorders May Affect Cognitive Development

Long-lasting sleep problems in children can affect their cognitive development. This is the finding of a new study in the journal Sleep.

It links ongoing sleep problems through childhood with cognitive problems at age 17. Results show that long-lasting sleep problems may affect “executive functioning.”

These functions are a part of how the brain regulates thoughts and actions. One example is the ability to shift between two tasks. Another example is the ability to update the contents of working memory.

The study involved 916 twins. About 70 percent of them had more than one sleep problem at age 4. The majority of these sleep problems went away by the time the children reached the teen years.

But 33 percent of the children still had sleep problems at age 16. These children had lower scores on a computerized test of executive functions at age 17.

What does this mean for parents?

First, you should realize that sleep problems are very common in young children. Examples include nightmares, sleepwalking and behavioral insomnia.

These sleep disorders tend to go away as a child grows and develops. Often there is no negative impact on your child’s health.

But you should pay special attention to any problems that persist through the years. In the study, children who still had sleep problems around age 13 were more likely to have cognitive problems at age 17.

Watch for signs of obstructive sleep apnea. This sleep disorder can have a severe effect on your child’s health.

At all ages, you should observe how your child functions during the day. In some children behavioral problems may be related to an untreated sleep disorder.

Talk to your child’s doctor about any ongoing sleep problems. Early treatment will promote your child’s long-term health and well-being.