A new study finds that getting just 15 extra minutes of sleep at night can give teens a noticeable boost in brain power and thinking skills. The research, led by teams from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University in Shanghai, looked at the sleep habits of thousands of U.S. tweens and teens and how their habits impact their brain development and cognitive performance.
Researchers used data from the largest long-term study of child brain health in the U.S. Over 32-hundred 11 to 12-year-olds wore fitness trackers to track their sleep. The results were confirmed in two additional teen groups (ages 13 to 14). Here’s what they found:
- Teens who slept just a little longer and went to bed earlier did better on cognitive tests like vocabulary, reading, and problem-solving.
- MRI scans found that these same teens also had healthier brain structures and functions.
- Even though the total sleep differences between groups were relatively small (as little as 15 minutes), they still showed measurable improvements on brain and cognitive performance.
The study shows just how important good sleep is during the teenage years, when the brain is still developing. “Even though the differences in sleep were small, they still had a noticeable impact on brain activity and task performance,” explains Cambridge Neuroscience Professor Barbara Sahakian. Researchers now want to understand why some teens sleep less, whether screen use is to blame or if it’s just due to natural differences in body clocks.
Source: SciTechDaily
Scott's Thoughts:
- This may explain a lot about my teenage years!
- I feel like I would probably perform better with an extra 15 minutes of sleep too!
- According to my watch, I average about 7 hours of sleep. That seems pretty good.