This One Basic Thing Can Lead To A Child's Emotional Instability Further On Down The Road

If you've seen "Inside Out," then you know how important a child's emotional health is. If you haven't seen it, then stop reading and go watch. It's literally a perfect movie.

If you're still reading, I'll assume you've already watched the cinematic masterpiece, and therefore know how essential it is to think about your child's health. A recent study on emotional health has yielded some eye-opening (you'll see how that's a pun in a second) results.

Researchers from the Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston in the Department of Psychology at University of Houston, USA conducted an experiment in which they studied the relationship between sleep and depression development. Summarizing the findings in "ScientAlert," David Nield commented,

"Without enough sleep, people are less likely to seek out positive or rewarding experiences if they require effort, and over a longer period of time the risk of depression and a poorer life quality goes up."

In other words, kids who aren't getting enough sleep could be more likely to develop mental illnesses like depression as they grow up. More study of the linkage is needed, but these preliminary results, at the very least, should awaken you to the importance of a good night's sleep (see what I did there?).

Of course, getting young kids to sleep is not always an easy task. Raise your hand if you've told your kid to go to sleep and gotten this response:

I'm guessing almost every parent has had to deal with this situation. The study suggests reframing how you think about sleep. 

"Parents should consider sleep as an important part of overall health, just like brushing teeth, eating a balanced diet, or getting enough physical activity."

By making sleep a priority, you are investing in your child's future emotional health. So what're you waiting for? Get those kids to bed!

That girl is gonna be quite emotionally healthy when she grows up.