Surprising Studies Reveal Sleep Deprivation is Linked to ADHD

According to SLEEP journal publication, research studies reveal that there is a direct link between children diagnosed with Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in relevance to reduced sleep times versus controlled test groups. This research study was conducted and led under Reut Gruber Ph.D., the Director of the Attention, Behavior, and Sleep Lab located within the Douglas Mental Health Institute. Gruber is also accredited for being the lead author for this research.

Based on research reports, it shows that REM sleep time experienced by children with ADHD were significantly reduced by 16 minutes, which is almost half the amount of average sleep time in children who haven't been diagnosed with ADHD. The amount of REM sleep time that a child should be getting is about 33 minutes, therefore as studies reflect- reduced sleep times have a negative impact on both behavioral and cognitive functioning.

Conclusive reports also reflect that statistically, 25% to up to 50% of both children and adolescents who have been diagnosed with ADHD experienced sleep problems. Within these statistics, only half the amount of parents with ADHD children reported sleeping difficulties resulting from either Restless Leg Syndrome or difficulties with breathing. Further research has found that both ADHD and Restless Leg Syndrome are indeed linked through genetics. This is due to the fact that there is a correlation between low dopamine levels within the brain, and ADHD and Restless Leg Syndrome.

Symptoms of Sleep Problems in a child diagnosed with ADHD

The first early warning signs that parents should look out for in their children are any behavioral problems in a classroom setting, and poor attention skills. If you have noticed any of these symptoms, it could indicate that your child is suffering from chronic sleep loss. As we all should know, sleep is an important process- especially in young children and adolescents. This is because during sleep our bodies are recovering and repairing itself from the day's activities, as well as stimulating and generating new and healthy brain cells. If an individual is deprived of normal sleep activities, this disturbance can cause damaging and irreparable consequences such as- neurological impairment, the inability for the brain to produce new brain cells, suppression of growth in healthy brain tissue, and maturing delays in executive functioning of the brain.

This has also been confirmed in studies involving rats, which showed that sleep deprivation over a period of just 4 days had enough negative impact in reducing the function of cells that are primarily responsible for long term memory in the brain.

Tips on how parents can encourage healthy sleep habits in their children

Though the conclusive results from these studies are frightening, it should serve as a wake up call for all of us parents on how important it is for early detection and recognition of sleep deprivation in our children. If caught in early stages, it is possible to reduce any negative impact caused by sleep deprivation, as well as improving any other symptoms of ADHD. Here are some helpful tips on how parents can encourage healthier sleep habits in their children:

Create a simple bed time routine that your child can easily follow every night- i.e. by 8:00 have the child brush his/her teeth, start making up the bed- pillows, security blankets, stuffed animals, etc., and be to sleep within the next 30 minutes.

If your child wants to talk to you about something, always be willing to listen with an open mind so that he/she can reduce any stress that may be bothering him.

Adequate exercise and nutrition is very important in maintaining low stress levels for a child, but be careful not to extend any physical activities into the late afternoon. Also, eliminate any caffeine and sugar containing foods and beverages, the body may be too animated to settle down for sleep when it comes close to bed time.

If you've attempted to correct any sleep deprivation issues to no avail, please consult your child's pediatrician or other medical professional for help and evaluation. It may indicate a more serious health problem.

Sources :
http://www.healthcentral.com/adhd/related-conditions-196333-5.html
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=99899