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"Understanding the Brain", The Birth of a Learning Science, 2007, page 74
The Sleep Disturbances and the Learning
Children’s sleep disturbances have been linked with numerous somatic disorders, neurological illnesses and emotional and behavioural disturbances such as hyperactivity, as well as learning difficulties (Ferber and Kryger, 1995).
Sleep disturbances are highly prevalent and persistent and are among the most common complaints throughout childhood: epidemiological studies have shown that approximately one third of all children suffer from sleep problems (Simonds and Parraga, 1984; Kahn et al., 1989; Blader et al., 1997; Rona, Gulliford and Chinn, 1998). A survey of clinical paediatricians suggested that they are the fifth leading concern of parents (following illness, feeding, behavioural problems and physical abnormalities; Mindell et al., 1994).
Although there are common sleeping disorders at all ages (Wiggs and Stores, 2001), there are also age-specific patterns as with the changes which happen during adolescence. A questionnaire-based survey of sleeping habits of 25 000 people between ages 10-90 shows that children are typically early risers, but start to sleep progressively later as they enter adolescence, reaching a maximum lateness around the age of 20, when the curve starts to decline (Abbott, 2005).
Generally, individuals have increased daytime sleepiness at puberty, whether or not there are changes in total sleep duration, suggesting that the biological need for sleep does not diminish during adolescence (Carskadon et al., 1980).
Some studies tentatively suggest that sleep deprivation and sleeping problems are associated with poorer academic performance: the less they sleep, the lower their performance (Wolfson and Carskadon, 1998).
Since many children suffer from chronic sleep deprivation there is a very real concern about the potentially harmful effects that this has for the developing brain. While experimental sleep deprivation studies on children are rare for ethical reasons, those carried out have investigated cognitive consequences of sleep deprivation.
Sleep disturbances are highly prevalent and persistent and are among the most common complaints throughout childhood: epidemiological studies have shown that approximately one third of all children suffer from sleep problems (Simonds and Parraga, 1984; Kahn et al., 1989; Blader et al., 1997; Rona, Gulliford and Chinn, 1998). A survey of clinical paediatricians suggested that they are the fifth leading concern of parents (following illness, feeding, behavioural problems and physical abnormalities; Mindell et al., 1994).
Although there are common sleeping disorders at all ages (Wiggs and Stores, 2001), there are also age-specific patterns as with the changes which happen during adolescence. A questionnaire-based survey of sleeping habits of 25 000 people between ages 10-90 shows that children are typically early risers, but start to sleep progressively later as they enter adolescence, reaching a maximum lateness around the age of 20, when the curve starts to decline (Abbott, 2005).
Generally, individuals have increased daytime sleepiness at puberty, whether or not there are changes in total sleep duration, suggesting that the biological need for sleep does not diminish during adolescence (Carskadon et al., 1980).
Some studies tentatively suggest that sleep deprivation and sleeping problems are associated with poorer academic performance: the less they sleep, the lower their performance (Wolfson and Carskadon, 1998).
Since many children suffer from chronic sleep deprivation there is a very real concern about the potentially harmful effects that this has for the developing brain. While experimental sleep deprivation studies on children are rare for ethical reasons, those carried out have investigated cognitive consequences of sleep deprivation.
"Understanding the Brain", The Birth of a Learning Science, 2007, page 74
good articled.
ReplyDeleteThank you Hegel.
ReplyDeleteThis is interesting. Recent studies using brain scans have shown that sleep is critical to the process of memory formation, and hence learning (Marcos Frank, UPenn, 2009.) This concurs with the idea that sleep interruption or deprivation will have considerable impact on academic performance.
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Martin Walker
www.mindsparke.com
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