Parents struggling to help Junior lose a few pounds may want to send him to bed early. A new study published in Child Development finds that children who sleep more tend to weigh less than children who sleep less and are less likely to be overweight five years later. The researchers twice surveyed 1,441 kids about their sleeping patterns and weight, at a five-year interval. The children were all between the ages of 3 and 12.
“Our study suggests that, especially for younger children, an early bedtime is important. If kids need to get up at 6:30 or 7 a.m., parents of young children ages 3 to 8 might want to focus on an 8 o’clock bedtime,” says Emily Snell, a doctoral student in human development and social policy at Northwestern University and co-author of the study. The effect was less pronounced among older kids.
Snell speculates that sleep deprivation affects the levels of appetite-regulating hormones. Environmental causes probably play a role too: More waking hours equals more time to eat.
Improve the odds a child will get a good night’s sleep by creating a regular sleep routine, banning caffeine after lunch, and keeping TVs out of kids’ rooms.
