At 5 Little Monkeys, we're big believers in the power of high-quality sleep to positively influence every area of a child's mental and physical health and wellness. That's why we've spent the better part of the past decade creating a mattress for kids that's designed from the ground up to be the best kids mattress on the market, and we've seen firsthand just how powerful the impact of better sleep can be in our own home. But as more and more data comes out on the subject, science is showing us that even a small amount of extra sleep can have a dramatic impact on a child's emotional and physical health. Just how small? 27 minutes, to be exact.
The Big Impact of a Little Sleep
According to a new study of 7- to 11-year-olds in Canada, adding just 27 minutes of sleep each night can lift mood, reduce temper tantrums, and improve focus in school. The study followed 34 children, moving children's bedtimes one hour earlier or later than normal. Teachers and parents were then asked to rate daytime behavior, and the children wore activity monitors that measured activity and sleep.
The results were surprising. Children's who's bedtimes were moved earlier netted an average of 27.36 more minutes of sleep per night – but even that small amount affected mood, behavior, and academic performance throughout the week. The students who got more sleep were calmer, less impulsive, less prone to tantrums, and better able to focus throughout the week, while those who lost sleep saw impaired performance. Even on this short timeline, this small amount of sleep had a noticeable impact on students' well-being and academic performance.
Order Your 5 Little Monkeys Bed
To us, this comes as no surprise: we've seen the impact of better sleep in our own home after creating the 5 Little Monkeys children's bed. This study demonstrates the crucial importance of quantity of sleep, but quality matters as well – and if you're ready to give your child the gift of healthier, more restful sleep, we can help. Try our world-class kid's mattress risk-free and take our 100-night rest test today with the best kids mattress. We can't wait to help your child get deeper, more restful sleep for a healthier, happier life!