News

Later school start times for students

Apr 20 2017...

Middle and high school students have to balance academics, sports, social lives, and additional extracurricular activities. Keeping up with these responsibilities leaves minimal time for relaxing, let alone getting a good night’s sleep. READ MORE>>

How much sleep do children need?

Jul 21 2016...

Sleep is essential for optimal health in children and teens. But how many hours of sleep should your child get on a regular basis? To answer this question, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine gathered a panel of 13 sleep experts. They reviewed more than 850 scientific articles. After multiple rounds of discussion and voting, they agreed on the following recommendations. READ MORE>>

Night owls face disadvantages in high school years

Nov 13 2013...

Teenagers who stay up late during the school year are likely to have lower grades and more emotional problems than their morning lark counterparts, according to a study that looked at the long-term sleep habits of teens.

The study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health involved a large sample of teens from across the country. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley looked at the teens’ academic records and reported bedtimes throughout their middle and high school years.

About 30 percent of the teens had bedtimes later than 11:30 p.m. on school days and 1:30 a.m. in the summertime. This group was unable to meet their recommended 9 hours of sleep during the school year. As a result, these teens had lower GPA scores than their peers and more reported behavioral problems. READ MORE>>

Study finds daytime naps improve learning in preschoolers

Sep 25 2013...

Not only is sleep important for children’s bodies it’s also important for their brains. A new study shows that classroom naps support learning in preschool children by enhancing memory.

Children who napped performed significantly better on a visual-spatial task in the afternoon after a nap and the next day than those who did not nap. READ MORE>>

Sleep apnea in kids associated with behavioral, learning problems

Apr 04 2013...

A new study found that obstructive sleep apnea, a common form of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), is associated with increased rates of ADHD-like behavioral problems in children as well as other adaptive and learning problems.

“This study provides some helpful information for medical professionals consulting with parents about treatment options for children with SDB that, although it may remit, there are considerable behavioral risks associated with continued SDB,” said Michelle Perfect, PhD, the study’s lead author and assistant professor in the school psychology program in the department of disability and psychoeducational studies at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “School personnel should also consider the possibility that SDB contributes to difficulties with hyperactivity, learning and behavioral and emotional dysregulation in the classroom.” READ MORE>>

Childhood leukemia/lymphoma survivors have high prevalence of chronic fatigue

Mar 19 2013...

A new study finds that survivors of childhood leukemia and lymphoma are at a greater risk of chronic fatigue, a persistent lack of energy that doesn’t improve with rest, as adults.

The study, published in the March issue of the Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, included a total of 143 male and 147 female childhood leukemia/lymphoma survivors and was comprised of a questionnaire, clinical examination and blood samples. READ MORE>>

Sleepwalkers sometimes remember their actions

Mar 15 2013...

Three myths about sleepwalking – sleepwalkers have no memory of their actions, sleepwalkers' behavior is without motivation, and sleepwalking has no daytime impact – are dispelled in a recent study led by Antonio Zadra of the University of Montreal and its affiliated Sacré-Coeur Hospital. The study was published in the March issue of The Lancet Neurology. Dr. Zadra answers some questions to try to clear up some of the confusion about sleepwalking. READ MORE>>

Sleep reinforces learning, especially in children

Feb 27 2013...

A new study reveals how important it is for children to get enough sleep. Children’s brains transform subconsciously learning material into active knowledge while they sleep – even more effectively than adult brains do, according to the study by Dr. Ines Wilhem of the University of Tübingen’s Institute for Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology.

"In children, much more efficient explicit knowledge is generated during sleep from a previously learned implicit task, says Dr. Wilhelm. And the children's extraordinary ability is linked with the large amount of deep sleep they get at night. "The formation of explicit knowledge appears to be a very specific ability of childhood sleep, since children typically benefit as much or less than adults from sleep when it comes to other types of memory tasks." READ MORE>>

Ten percent of children ages 6-8 have sleep-disordered breathing

Dec 17 2012...

Approximately ten percent of children ages 6-8 have sleep-disordered breathing, according to a recent Finnish study. The risk is higher among children with enlarged tonsils, crossbite and convex facial profile. Unlike in adults, excess body fat is not associated with sleep-disordered breathing in this age group.

Recognizing the risk for sleep-disordered breathing at an early age allows an early intervention to prevent the progression of the disease, according to the study’s authors. The diagnosis and treatment of children's sleep-disordered breathing is best carried out in cooperation involving dentists, pediatricians, ear, nose and throat doctors, as well as parents. READ MORE>>

Treat kid’s sleep problems with interdisciplinary approach

Dec 07 2012...

Pediatricians and respiratory specialists should work together whenever a sleep problem is suspected in a child, a new study reports. Children with sleep-related breathing problems such as snoring or apnea frequently have behavioral sleep problems such as waking repeatedly. Children with sleep disorders often aren’t evaluated and treated for behavioral sleep problems - and vice versa. READ MORE>>