Around one in three students experiences symptoms of sleepiness during classes, a situation linked to a lack of rest hours during the week, as pointed out by several specialists at a conference held in Oviedo and promoted by the Spanish Society of General Practitioners and Family Doctors (SEMG) and the Sleep Alliance.
The meeting, which took place at the Dulce Nombre de Jesús school, is part of the 32nd National Congress of the SEMG, which will be held from June 11 to 13 at the Exhibition and Congress Palace of the Asturian capital, and aims to raise awareness about the importance of proper sleep hygiene in children and adolescents.
In his presentation, Dr. Lorenzo Armenteros, a member of the SEMG Mental Health Working Group and the Sleep Alliance, warned that four out of ten minors between 8 and 16 years of age do not get the recommended hours of sleep during the week, a situation that worsens in adolescence, where more than half get less rest than advisable.
This lack of rest leads to the so-called "school jet lag," responsible for fatigue, lower academic performance, and sleepiness throughout the day. Furthermore, he emphasized that poor quality sleep is linked to worse physical and mental health, more sedentary behavior, and risk-taking behaviors.
Specific Data for Asturias
In Asturias, specialists have highlighted that 19% of adolescents between 14 and 18 years of age have used hypnosedatives on occasion, and that 9.9% have resorted to psychotropic drugs without a prescription, a practice that increases the probability of dependence and emotional problems.
They also emphasized the influence of digital device use on nighttime rest. Thus, 16.1% of young people show compulsive internet use, with an average of nearly five hours a day during the week, and 16.5% engage in problematic social media use, circumstances that negatively impact sleep and school performance.
Experts have also warned of the high prevalence of insomnia, which affects 30% of children under five years of age and 38.5% of adolescents, with potential long-term effects on cardiovascular, metabolic, and mental health.
Promotion of Healthy Sleep Habits
During the session, in which resident doctors of Family and Community Medicine also participated, the importance of establishing healthy lifestyle habits from an early age was emphasized, such as respecting regular bedtimes and wake-up times, reducing screen time, controlling ambient light, and creating relaxation routines before sleep.
"Fostering healthy sleep habits from childhood is key to neurocognitive, emotional, physical, and mental development," stressed Armenteros, who has called for the joint involvement of families, teachers, and healthcare professionals to promote better rest in children and adolescents.