Lack of sleep could cause behavioural problems

Jonathan Warren

Author: Jonathan Warren

28.03.2024

News

200276604-001Children who misbehave at school or bully other children are more likely to be sleepy during the day, according to new research. A study conducted by the University of Michigan Medical School examined school students in public schools at Ypsilanti, Michigan who had displayed conduct or disciplinary problems and found these students had a two-fold higher risk for symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing and daytime sleepiness. "What this study does is raise the possibility that poor sleep, from whatever cause, can indeed play into bullying or other aggressive behaviors – a major problem that many schools are trying to address," said Louise O’Brien, Ph.D., assistant professor in U-M's Sleep Disorders Center and the departments of Neurology and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. She went on to suggest sleepiness may be caused by factors including sleep-disordered breathing, chaotic home environments, fragmented sleep or lack of sleep. She added: “Our schools do push the importance of healthy eating and exercise, but this study highlights that good sleep is just as essential to a healthy lifestyle."