Sleep Deprivation Effects on Child’s Health

Sleep is a vital part of good health for young and old alike and sleep deprivation in children shouldn’t be ignored. Just like with adults, when a child isn’t getting enough sleep it can lead to significant health issues, physically, mentally as well as emotionally. Children who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to be more irritable, less patient, and have a much lower attention span than their peers.

Sleep deprivation is also a contributing factor of childhood obesity and has even been linked to childhood diabetes. Just like in adults, sleep deprivation in children can contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease and even stroke, lowering the overall strength of the immune system making children more susceptible to illnesses.

Children with sleep deprivation are also more likely to have nightmares or night terrors when they do sleep. Confusion or ‘zoning out’ during waking hours, poor problem-solving skills and poor memory are all common side effects of poor sleep quality, regardless of age.

Sleep deprivation in children can cause a whole array of issues. The overall weakening of the immune system is the first and most dangerous issue associated with sleep deprivation in children. Making children much more susceptible to viruses and illnesses, especially in winter months.

Memory is also highly affected by sleep deprivation, which can cause a child to have a low attention span, poor information retention, quickness to anger and prone to sadness and or overreaction. Greatly interfering with a child’s interaction with their peers as well as their performance in school and other activities. As children grow, they need to learn how to have good emotional control allowing for a more balanced interaction with the world around them.

When they become sleep deprived the usual balance of happy/sad, is lost. Leaving the child in a state of constant emotional distress. Not a happy state for anyone, so just as with adults’ childhood sleep deprivation shouldn’t be ignored as it may be a symptom of an undiagnosed sleeping disorder.

As with adults, sleep deprivation will manifest itself in different ways depending on the person, but when it comes to children it can most definitely interfere with regular development and growth. Sleep deprivation in children includes a lowered attention span, poor memory retention and poor problem-solving skills. These can all result in a lowered performance in general which could lead to a child lagging in comparison to their peers and falling behind in school.

This could cause poor self-image as well as lowered self-esteem, increasing a child’s chance of developing more severe mental health issues such as anxiety and depression which can carry on until adulthood, becoming a life-long issue. Lack of sleep also inhibits the natural secretions of growth hormone for the child, interfering with bone and muscle structure in the body, prohibiting normal growth of the child’s body.

Sleep deprivation in children come with the same signs as sleep deprivation in adults. It may be much harder to wake them in the morning and can cause more irritability during the day. Other signs may include a poor attention span, low memory retention and poor decision making which can lead to more accidents and injuries.

A child may fall asleep during the day more often, outside of regular naps, or be much more ‘zoned out’ and unresponsive when being asked to perform tasks or to communicate. Just like with adults, sleep deprivation in children will result in a poor mood, leaving the child more irritable and more prone to anger and emotional outbursts which can create a divide with their peers making it difficult for the child to make new friends and maintain already existing friendships.

Koala® Center For Sleep & TMJ Disorders offers sleep treatments for children.