Is your child not studying well? It's not just the smartphone that's to blame

Your child’s smartphone isn’t the only thing that’s causing their school failure. It’s not just their phone, sports or diet that can seriously affect their academic performance and relationships with their peers. A new study shows that sleep is a stronger factor than any other lifestyle factor.

Researchers from the University of California, Davis, studied data on children aged 10 to 13 and compared their sleep quality, screen time, physical activity and diet.

The results showed that good sleep was more important than any other factor in terms of higher academic performance and fewer social problems. Screen time was in second place, while physical activity and diet were relatively weakly linked.

The researchers also looked at the relationship between sleep and mental health. For example, sleep accounted for 18.5 percent of the association between depressive symptoms and lower academic performance, 36.3 percent for anxiety-related symptoms, and 8.3 percent for psychosis-like symptoms.

The contribution of screen time was 5 percent for anxiety, 6.3 percent for depression, and 6.2 percent for psychosis-like symptoms.

However, the scientists emphasize that these numbers should not be interpreted as “sleeping more cures mental health problems.” The study does not show cause and effect, but rather a link between sleep, mood, and daily functioning.

**Why is sleep so important?**

During sleep, the brain does more than just rest. During this time, memories are consolidated, learned information is processed, emotional states are regulated, and the body is restored.

Therefore, a child who does not get enough sleep may not only be sleepy the next day, but also have difficulty concentrating, absorbing new information, managing emotions, and interacting with peers.

This is especially important during adolescence, when the brain and personality continue to actively develop.

Study author Jason Smusney says that scientists knew that sleep was an important factor, but they did not expect it to outweigh screen time, physical activity, and nutrition so much.

The researchers recommend that parents pay as much attention to their children's sleep patterns as they do to screen time. Maintaining consistent bedtimes and wake times, limiting phone use at night, and creating an environment where they can get enough sleep can support a child's overall well-being.

So, your child may not always need extra practice or an extra hour of class to do well in school. Sometimes the simplest way to help him study well is to let him go to bed on time.