London: Children who go to bed at irregular times when very young do worse in school later on, research has found.
Those without a set bedtime as three-year-olds achieved lower scores in maths, reading and IQ tests when they were seven. The disruption, in which girls were shown to be more strongly affected, may restrict children’s academic achievement for the rest of their lives.
Experts believe that sleep is so crucial because that is when the brain absorbs and processes all the knowledge and new skills learned during the day.
Academics from University College, London, compared the test results of 11,200 seven-year-old children with questionnaires about bedtime routines filled in by parents at two-year intervals.
The study showed that regular bedtimes were particularly important for three-year-olds, who are at a stage of development with life-long implications.
Professor Yvonne Kelly, lead author, said: “Early child development has profound influences on health and well-being across the life-course. Therefore, reduced or disrupted sleep at key times in development could have important impacts on health throughout life.”
The researchers expressed concern that busy parents delay young children’s bedtimes to spend more time with them.
