Researchers say that, like adults, kids are falling behind on their sleep these days. So, a growing number of parents are turning to melatonin to help their kids get more sleep.
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Researchers say that, like adults, kids are falling behind on their sleep these days. So, a growing number of parents are turning to melatonin to help their kids get more sleep.
yanguolin/Getty Images
A good night’s sleep makes a big difference in our mental and physical health. Without quality sleep, we’re less productive. Grumpy. It can even affect our hearts.
For kids, sleep is crucial for physical, mental and emotional development.
But there are lots of things keeping us awake these days: screens, electronics, stress. And researchers say that, like adults, kids are having problems falling and staying asleep.
Michael Schulson, a contributing editor at Undark, recently looked into why more parents are turning to a supplement called melatonin as a possible solution.
“It’s like so many parents’ dream,” he says. “Is there … this one thing that can help me get through this part of the day that can be really, really hard for parents and families?”
But some experts worry that there isn’t enough research about how regularly taking melatonin affects kids in the long term.
Read Michael Schulson’s full article in Undark.
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This episode was produced by Rachel Carlson and edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. Maggie Luthar was the audio engineer.