Teenagers who go to bed early and sleep longer have sharper brains, a study has found. Researchers discovered that even small differences in sleep made a significant impact on adolescents’ cognitive abilities.
Teenagers who go to bed early and sleep longer have sharper brains, a study has found. Researchers were surprised at the impact that even small differences in sleep made to adolescents’ cognitive abilities.
During adolescence, significant changes occur in teenage cognitive function.
The brain undergoes pruning and myelination, refining neural connections and increasing efficiency.
This process can lead to improved problem-solving skills, memory, and reaction time.
However, it also brings challenges such as impulsivity, mood swings, and difficulty with self-regulation.
Research suggests that approximately 90% of the human brain is developed by age 25, with critical periods for cognitive development occurring between ages 12-18.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 13- to 18-year-olds should have eight to 10 hours of sleep per night. However, even those with the best sleeping habits fell short of this recommendation. A study of over 3,000 adolescents found that teenagers who went to bed the latest and woke up earliest had lower cognitive abilities compared to those who went to bed earlier and slept longer.
Teenagers typically experience a shift in their sleep-wake cycle, often requiring later bedtimes and wake-up times.
This is due to the release of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep, which is delayed during adolescence.
Research suggests that 15-18 year olds require 8-10 hours of sleep each night for optimal health and functioning.
However, many teenagers do not meet this requirement, with some studies indicating that up to 70% of teens get inadequate sleep.
The researchers analyzed data from 3,222 young people in the adolescent brain cognitive development study. They found that the teenagers fell into three distinct groups based on their sleep patterns. The first group slept for an average of seven hours and 10 minutes per night, while the second group slept for seven hours and 21 minutes. The third group, which had the best sleeping habits, slept for an average of seven hours and 25 minutes.
The study found that the third group scored highest on cognitive tests, followed by the second group, and the first group scored the worst. Brain scans also showed that those in the third group had the largest brain volumes and better brain functions.
Cognitive function refers to the complex processes by which the brain acquires, processes, and stores information.
It encompasses various mental operations such as perception, attention, memory, language, problem-solving, and decision-making.
The cognitive system is composed of multiple interconnected networks that enable us to learn, adapt, and interact with our environment.
Research suggests that cognitive function can be influenced by factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and environmental conditions.
Barbara Sahakian, a professor of clinical neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge, said it was surprising to find that minor differences in sleep had such an impact on cognitive abilities. She attributed this to the fact that sleep plays a crucial role in memory consolidation during adolescence.
The study’s findings have implications for teenagers who want to improve their sleep and boost their mental skills. Sahakian recommends regular exercise to help with sleep and avoiding mobile phones or computers before bedtime.
Colin Espie, a professor of sleep medicine at the University of Oxford, noted that humans are particularly dependent on sleep, especially during adolescence. He emphasized the need for society to place more emphasis on sleep health, particularly in schools.
Gareth Gaskell, a professor of psychology at the University of York, welcomed the focus on early adolescence and called for more intervention studies to help adolescents with suboptimal sleep patterns. Simple changes to bedtime routines, such as avoiding screen use before bed, can make a significant difference in improving sleep health.
