Researchers from the Monash University studied the sleeping patterns of over 500 children. They found that children who remained active throughout the day took an average of 26 minutes to fall asleep while others took an average of 45 minutes.
The study maintains that every inactive hour spent by the children during the day took them 3 minutes longer to sleep at night. Furthermore, it was also established that the active children sleep soundly for longer hours than the inactive children.
New York University Sleep Disorders Center director, Dr. David Rapoport said, “I see this as something which we were designed by nature to do. The purpose of sleep is to recover from activity, and what this is showing is that that link is quite tight in the child. If the child exercises, they need more sleep and they get it more easily.”
Short sleep bad for kids’ health
Experts believe that short sleep is linked to obesity, behavioral problems, and low grades in school. Lack of sleep can also lead to chronic illnesses in children and it could also impair a child’s immune system
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For this reason, the study stresses on the importance of physical activity for children.
Sedentary activities like watching television, playing games on computer disrupt the ability of a child to fall asleep. Since today’s child prefers spending a sedentary lifestyle, he is at the risk of not getting enough and proper sleep.
Parents are advised to encourage their children to be active- to run, swim, hit a tennis ball and indulge in activities which keep them moving. This way, the kids will remain healthier and sleep on time, ensuring an undisturbed night for all the family members.
According to the researchers, "As short sleep duration is associated with obesity and lower cognitive performance, community emphasis on the importance of promoting healthy sleep in children is vitally important."
"This study emphasizes the importance of physical activity for children, not only for fitness, cardiovascular health and weight control, but also for sleep," they added.
The study has been published in the Archives Disease in Childhood.
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