Half of Spanish children tired in mornings, new study finds

A NOCTURNAL lifestyle is causing Spanish children to wake up sleepy and underperform in the classroom, a new study has shown.

The research, conducted by Kellogg’s across 250 schools, found half of children aged between six and 12 are tired in the mornings after having late dinners and going to bed too late.

Around 40% were found to be having dinner between 9pm and 10pm, finally hitting the sack as late as 11pm.

Doctor and sleep specialist Eduard Estivill said Spanish children are going to bed up to two hours later than they should be.

This, he believes, is mainly down to a cultural timetable which is ‘totally useless with regard to sleep’.

“Sleep is like a workshop,” he said. “The physical and mental repair which takes place is essential for alertness and the mental capacity needed to learn, plus the energy to perform everyday acts.”

According to the UK’s National Health Service, five-year-olds need 11 hours’ sleep per night, while nine-year-olds need 10 hours and 14-year-olds need nine hours.