With schools open and homework loads rising, the hours of sleep kids are getting are diminishing. Tests and projects are keeping students up until late hours in the night. Sleep loss is a problem not only because it makes the kids cranky, but recent evidence shows that it also leads to obesity.
Scientists have found that sleep deprivation increases the number of hunger hormones, therefore making people eat more when they are sleepy. Leptin and Gehlin are two hormones that control the body’s appetite. Leptin curbs the appetite, and Grehlin amplifies it.
When someone doesn’t get enough sleep consistently, the Grehlin level increases in the body and builds up the feeling of hunger. Repeated hunger hormone builds up causes the person to eat obsessively and become obese.
In addition to homework, another cause of sleep loss among kids is technology. Kids are glued to cell phones and computers, which hinders them from going to bed on time. Even if the parents are able to pry the child away from the gadgets, they are still too wired and have trouble falling asleep.
On top of obesity, sleep deprivation can cause serious long-term illnesses. Scientists have linked sleep problems to permanent changes in brain structure. Some scientists think that moodiness, depression, and, among adults, binge drinking are symptoms of sleep loss. Tired students have trouble remembering what they learned because their brain cells are unable to create new connections to retain information.
Short sleep time also increase the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in kids. In the journal Pediatrics in 2009, a study in Finland showed that children who slept less than 7.7 hours were linked to hyperactivity and impulsivity.
So, how can we increase the number of sleeping hours for kids?
I have found that being efficient in doing homework, watching less television, or playing less video games works. Maybe I can also convince my teachers to cut down on the homework load by letting them know that less sleep contributes to childhood obesity and a bunch of other problems.
How much sleep do we really need?
•Newborns (0-2 months) — 12-18 hours
•Infants (3 to 11 months) — 14 to 15 hours
•Toddlers (1-3 years) — 12 to 14 hours
•Preschoolers (3-5 years) — 11 to 13 hours
•School-age children (5-10 years) — 10 to 11 hours
•Teens (10-17) — 8.5-9.25 hours
•Adults — 7-9 hours
Source: National Sleep Foundation