To sleep, perchance to enrich learning?

/Home/SCHOLARLY ARTICLES: Sleep

Archives of Disease in Childhood 2007;92:637-643; doi:10.1136/adc.2006.096156
Copyright © 2007 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

REVIEW
To sleep, perchance to enrich learning?

Catherine M Hill1, Alexandra M Hogan2, Annette Karmiloff-Smith3

1 Division of Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK
2 Developmental Brain-Behaviour Unit, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, UK
3 Developmental Neurocognition Laboratory, Birkbeck College, London, UK

Correspondence to:
Dr Catherine M Hill
Paediatric Neuroscience, Mail Point 803, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK; cmh2@soton.ac.uk

ABSTRACT
There is evidence that sleep enhances memory and learning. Childhood is a critical period for neurodevelopment, and minor but persistent disruption of sleep may have long-term implications for cognitive performance. Sleep is critical for health and is undervalued both in our 24 h society and in paediatric clinical practice. Paediatricians need to understand the neurodevelopmental consequences of poor quality sleep in children.

Keywords: sleep; memory; learning; sleep disordered breathing