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Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Just 15 Extra Minutes of Sleep Is Linked to Brain Benefits in Young People
We know sleep quality is vital for good health, that adolescence is an important time for brain development, and that teens don't always get a huge amount of sleep – and new research gives us some fresh insights into how that all fits together. With data for 3,222 adolescents between the ages of 9 and 14 years of age, researchers from institutions in China and the UK split the cohort up into three groups: those with the worst sleep habits (averaging 7 hours, 10 minutes per night), those with the best sleep habits (7 hours, 25 minutes), and those in between (7 hours, 21 minutes). While there wasn't much difference between these groups in terms of academic achievement, the best sleepers showed noticeable improvements in cognitive tests for reading, problem solving, and focus, compared to the worst sleepers. "Even though the differences in the amount of sleep that each group got was relatively small, at just over a quarter-of-an-hour between the best and worst sleepers, we could still see differences in brain structure and activity and in how well they did at tasks," says clinical neuropsychologist Barbara Sahakian from the University of Cambridge. "This drives home to us just how important it is to have a good night's sleep at this important time in life." The group of young people who slept the longest per night was also observed to have the largest brain volumes, the lowest heart rates, and the highest levels of brain connectivity, compared to the other groups. Somewhat worryingly, most of the young people fell into the group with the poorest set of sleep data: 39 percent of the total. The middle group had 24 percent of the participants in it, while the group that scored highest on sleep made up 37 percent of the kids. The research isn't enough to prove cause and effect when it comes to sleep and brain function, and it's worth noting that the cognitive differences between the groups weren't huge – but taken with other similar studies, it adds to the evidence that young brains need to be protected by sleep, and that every minute counts. "Although our study can't answer conclusively whether young people have better brain function and perform better at tests because they sleep better, there are a number of studies that would support this idea," says psychologist Qing Ma from Fudan University in China. Other pieces of research have gone into plenty of detail about how sleep is linked to mental well-being and physical health, and this latest study is a reminder to teens and parents to maybe spend a few minutes less on mobile devices. "Regularly getting a good night's sleep is important in helping us function properly," says Sahakian. "While we know a lot about sleep in adulthood and later life, we know surprisingly little about sleep in adolescence, even though this is a crucial time in our development." The research has been published in Cell Reports. Study Reveals The Optimal Number of Daily Steps to Offset Sitting Down Smart Brain Implants Can Now Adapt to Optimize Parkinson's Treatment Brown Rice Has More Arsenic Than White – Here's Why You Shouldn't Avoid It
Irish Independent
23-04-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Going to bed early ‘is key to how well children do in their exams'
Even 15 minutes' more sleep leads to differences in how well tasks are performed, according to researchers. The study, published in Cell Reports, used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a long-term study looking at brain development and child health in the US. Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University in Shanghai looked at 3,222 children aged between 11 and 12 who had been given FitBit devices to track their sleeping patterns. Their results were checked against two groups of 13 to 14-year-olds, comprising 1,190 youngsters. The children were divided into three categories based on average sleep times. The first slept on average seven hours and 10 minutes, while the second group slept for seven hours and 21 minutes, and the third slept for seven hours and 25 minutes. The study found the group that slept the longest had the largest brain volume and best brain function, while the first group, which slept for the shortest time, had the smallest volume and poorest brain function. Researchers found no difference in school achievements between the three groups, but when given cognitive tests looking at reading, vocabulary and problem-solving, the group that slept the longest performed the best. Professor Barbara Sahakian, of the University of Cambridge's department of psychiatry, said: 'While we know a lot about sleep in adulthood and later life, we know surprisingly little about sleep in adolescence, even though this is a crucial time in our development. 'Even though the differences in the amount of sleep that each group got was relatively small, we could still see differences in brain structure and activity and in how well they did at tasks. 'This drives home to us just how important it is to have a good night's sleep at this important time in life.' Researchers also analysed heart rates across the groups. They found the youngsters who slept the longest had the lowest heart rates, which is usually a sign of better health. Dr Qing Ma, of Fudan University, added: 'Although our study can't answer conclusively whether young people have better brain function and perform better at tests because they sleep better, there are a number of studies that would support this idea.'
The Independent
22-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Youngsters who sleep longer may perform better in tests, study suggests
Youngsters who go to bed earlier and sleep for longer periods have greater brain function and may perform better in tests, a study suggests. Even 15 minutes' more sleep leads to differences in how well tasks are performed, according to researchers. The study, published in Cell Reports, used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a long-term study looking at brain development and child health in the US. Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University in Shanghai looked at 3,222 children aged between 11 and 12 who had been given FitBit devices to track their sleeping patterns. Their results were checked against two groups of 13 to 14-year-olds, comprising 1,190 youngsters. The children were divided into three categories based on average sleep times. The first slept on average seven hours and 10 minutes, while the second group slept for seven hours and 21 minutes, and the third slept for seven hours and 25 minutes. The study found the group that slept the longest had the largest brain volume and best brain function, while the first group, which slept for the shortest time, had the smallest volume and poorest brain function. Researchers found no difference in school achievements between the three groups, but when given cognitive tests looking at reading, vocabulary and problem-solving, the group that slept the longest performed the best. Professor Barbara Sahakian, of the University of Cambridge's department of psychiatry, said: 'Regularly getting a good night's sleep is important in helping us function properly, but while we know a lot about sleep in adulthood and later life, we know surprisingly little about sleep in adolescence, even though this is a crucial time in our development. 'Even though the differences in the amount of sleep that each group got was relatively small, at just over a quarter-of-an-hour between the best and worst sleepers, we could still see differences in brain structure and activity and in how well they did at tasks. 'This drives home to us just how important it is to have a good night's sleep at this important time in life.' Researchers also analysed heart rates across the groups. They found the youngsters who slept the longest had the lowest heart rates, which is usually a sign of better health. Dr Qing Ma, of Fudan University, added: 'Although our study can't answer conclusively whether young people have better brain function and perform better at tests because they sleep better, there are a number of studies that would support this idea. 'For example, research has shown the benefits of sleep on memory, especially on memory consolidation, which is important for learning.'
Telegraph
22-04-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Just 15 minutes extra sleep could boost exam performance
Children who have just 15 minutes of extra sleep perform better in exams, a study suggests. The findings, published in Cell Reports, used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, a long-term investigation into brain development and child health in the US. Some 3,222 children aged between 11 and 12 were given Fitbit devices to track their sleeping patterns by researchers from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University in Shanghai. The children in the study were divided into three categories, based on average sleep times. The first slept on average seven hours and 10 minutes, while the second group slept for seven hours and 21 minutes, and the third slept for seven hours and 25 minutes. The study found the group that slept the longest had the largest brain volume and best brain function, while the first group, which slept for the shortest time, had the smallest volume and poorest brain function. Researchers found no difference in school achievements between the three groups, but when given cognitive tests looking at reading, vocabulary and problem-solving, the group that slept the longest performed the best. Prof Barbara Sahakian, of the University of Cambridge 's department of psychiatry, said: 'Regularly getting a good night's sleep is important in helping us function properly, but while we know a lot about sleep in adulthood and later life, we know surprisingly little about sleep in adolescence, even though this is a crucial time in our development. 'Even though the differences in the amount of sleep that each group got was relatively small, at just over a quarter-of-an-hour between the best and worst sleepers, we could still see differences in brain structure and activity and in how well they did at tasks.' Analysed heart rates Researchers also analysed heart rates across the groups. They found the youngsters who slept the longest had the lowest heart rates, which is usually a sign of better health. Dr Qing Ma, of Fudan University, said: 'Although our study can't answer conclusively whether young people have better brain function and perform better at tests because they sleep better, there are a number of studies that would support this idea. 'For example, research has shown the benefits of sleep on memory, especially on memory consolidation, which is important for learning.'
ITV News
22-04-2025
- Health
- ITV News
Could longer sleep improve your child's test results?
With GCSE and A-Level exams just weeks away, scientists say that youngsters who go to bed earlier and sleep for longer periods have greater brain function and may perform better in tests. Even 15 minutes' more sleep leads to differences in how well tasks are performed, according to researchers. The study, published in Cell Reports, used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a long-term study looking at brain development and child health in the US. Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University in Shanghai looked at 3,222 children aged between 11 and 12 who had been given FitBit devices to track their sleeping patterns. Their results were checked against two groups of 13 to 14-year-olds, comprising 1,190 youngsters. The children were divided into three categories based on average sleep times. The first slept on average seven hours and ten minutes, while the second group slept for seven hours and 21 minutes, and the third slept for seven hours and 25 minutes. The study found the group that slept the longest had the largest brain volume and best brain function, while the first group, which slept for the shortest time, had the smallest volume and poorest brain function. Researchers found no difference in school achievements between the three groups, but when given cognitive tests looking at reading, vocabulary and problem-solving, the group that slept the longest performed the best. Professor Barbara Sahakian, of the University of Cambridge's department of psychiatry, said: "Regularly getting a good night's sleep is important in helping us function properly, but while we know a lot about sleep in adulthood and later life, we know surprisingly little about sleep in adolescence, even though this is a crucial time in our development. "Even though the differences in the amount of sleep that each group got was relatively small, at just over a quarter-of-an-hour between the best and worst sleepers, we could still see differences in brain structure and activity and in how well they did at tasks. "This drives home to us just how important it is to have a good night's sleep at this important time in life." Researchers also analysed heart rates across the groups. They found the youngsters who slept the longest had the lowest heart rates, which is usually a sign of better health. Dr Qing Ma, of Fudan University, added: "Although our study can't answer conclusively whether young people have better brain function and perform better at tests because they sleep better, there are a number of studies that would support this idea. "For example, research has shown the benefits of sleep on memory, especially on memory consolidation, which is important for learning."
