A new study has revealed shocking consequences of sleep deprivation in teens.
According to HealthDay, the brains of the teens with lack of sleep changed and made them impulsive and aggressive.
A research report published in the journal Brain and Behaviour found that sleep-deprived teens have weak connectivity between the parts of the brain that play a significant role in decision-making, self-reflection and processing information. Problems in such a part of the brain can link to mental illnesses like depression, ADHD and schizophrenia.
A senior researcher, Assaf Oshri, said in a news release, “Sleep isn’t just good for children. It helps keep their mental health intact and helps them regulate their emotions... The paper shows that sleep duration and sleep efficiency are linked to distinct patterns of brain network connectivity that are predictive of problem behaviours.”
For the study, researchers studied data from over 2,800 kids to monitor their sleep patterns via Fitbit wrist devices for at least two weeks on average. The participants also underwent MRI brain scans and psychological testing during the research.
Why does sleep matter a lot for teens?
The results of the study showed that lack of sleep dramatically affects the default mode network of the kids and causes different regions of the mode to become less connected.
The researchers also found that such kids are more prone to problems like aggression, inattention and hyperactivity.
The lead researcher of the study, Linhao Zhang, noted, “Adolescence is an extremely critical period for brain development, and sleep is critical for brain development. But many adolescents don’t get enough quality sleep at night.”
Notably, as per Harvard Medical School, the default mode plays a vital role in introspection and daydreaming. In the activation of this network, people become more self-connected, imaginative and understanding.
