Infants suffer disrupted sleep patterns that can affect their development as a consequence of family feuds, a new study by an international group of researchers has found.
The researchers sought to assess the relationship between marital instability—for example, parents who were contemplating divorce—and children’s sleep problems—namely, difficulties getting to sleep or staying asleep. Their inquiry was based, in part, on the possibility that changes in the brain systems involved in how children develop and regulate their sleep patterns reflect the impact of family stress on children.
The study also determined whether it was unsettled sleep patterns in infants that affected their parents/carers or whether the quality of parents’ relationships affected the child’s sleep patterns.
What they found surprised the team- instability in a parents’ relationship when the infant was nine months old still affected the child when s/he was 18 months old. [continue reading…]
The more job satisfaction you have, the better you sleep, say researchers
The employed and self-employed enjoy much better sleep than those out of work, according to Understanding Society, the world’s largest longitudinal household study. Those who are unemployed are over 40% more likely to report difficulty staying asleep than those in employment (having controlled for age and gender differences). However, job satisfaction affects the quality of sleep with 33% of the most dissatisfied employees report poor sleep quality compared to only 18% of the most satisfied.
Analysis of the early data from Understanding Society based on 14,000 UK households found that overall the best sleep was reported by people with higher levels of education and by married people. The type of work a person does also impacts on sleep, with those in routine occupations reporting worse sleep than those in professional occupations.
Professor Sara Arber at the University of Surrey who analysed the findings said: “Given the links between sleep, social and economic circumstances and poor health found in this and other surveys, health promotion campaigns should be open to the possibility that the increased incidence of sleep problems among the disadvantaged in society may be one factor leading to their poorer health.”
Understanding Society is funded by the Economic and Social Research Counciland managed by the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex. It follows 40,000 UK household over many years, and sleep data will be collected annually. [continue reading…]
I would love to get some feedback on this story . I must be turning into my mom, because despite being a so called new age parent, I believe these parents are creating a litany of problems further down the road both for their kids and their relationships. Tish tosh…. c’mon, we all love our kids but it is good to tuck them in at night in their own beds.
Every parent knows that a tired kid is a cranky kid. Now, scientists are discovering that children with chronic sleep problems are at increased risk for developing a mental illness later in life.
Recent studies show that children who have persistent sleep problems, such as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or not getting enough night-time shut-eye, are more likely later to suffer from depression and anxiety disorders and to abuse alcohol and drugs than kids without sleep problems. The findings add to previous research that has linked children’s sleep problems to a host of issues, including aggressive behavior, learning and memory problems and obesity. Curious? Continue reading
Infants suffer disrupted sleep patterns that can affect their development as a consequence of family feuds, a new study by an international group of researchers has found.
