Having poor quality sleep would be very bad for the health of the youngest.
During this back-to-school period, it is not uncommon for the youngest schoolchildren to experience small bursts of stress. Between the return to a sustained school pace and small daily hassles, the pressure can very quickly become too great for them.
However, according to this study by Concordia University in Montreal (Canada) published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, there is indeed an aggravating factor of this stress in schoolchildren: lack of sleep.
Indeed, as these studies show, poor quality sleep only amplifies this feeling of stress, but could also have other equally harmful effects on their health.
Too bad for your health
To prove this, the researchers looked at the cases of 220 children between the ages of 8 and 18. They provided saliva samples with which the cortisol level could be analyzed. As a reminder, cortisol is a hormone produced by the cortex of the adrenal gland, it must regulate the immune system as well as the cardiovascular system.
In addition, they were asked to complete a questionnaire on their sleeping habits, their routines when going to sleep and their daily stress.
By comparing the two data, the researchers confirmed that it was not the amount of sleep, but the quality that increased the level of cortisol and therefore stress. Prolonged exposure to cortisol is extremely bad for your health as it can cause several heart conditions, rapid weight gain and depression.
According to doctoral student Jinshia Ly, main author of this study, good quality sleep is defined as follows: “Several factors come into play, for example if you sleep through the night without waking up, if you have we feel rested in the morning and if we do not suffer from any sleep disorder such as nightmares, apnea or snoring. ”
Keys to getting a good night’s sleep
To avoid stress in children and therefore excess cortisol, this study presents several avenues for reflection. “It is even more important for them to get to bed early, to go to bed and get up at regular times, not to take a nap during the day and to avoid using electronic devices before sleeping,” explains Dr Ly. In addition, it is important to adopt a healthy lifestyle, especially when it comes to diet.
It is not the first time that such a link has been made between quality sleep and stress. Thus, a 2015 book produced by several specialists compared the reactions of our body to stress and insomnia.
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