Children fly kites at a park in Tengzhou City, east China’s Shandong Province, March 1, 2025. (Photo by Li Zhijun/Xinhua)
BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) — For many adults, it is not uncommon to find themselves wide awake late at night, even when they know they should be fast asleep.
Some are buried in work, while others toss and turn, overwhelmed by racing thoughts that keep them from drifting off. They can’t help but long for the carefree days of childhood when sleep came effortlessly.
However, in China, sleep loss is no longer just an adult issue. Insufficient rest, caused by late bedtimes, difficulty falling asleep, and other sleep-related problems, has become a growing public health concern that also affects children.
According to Chinese health guidelines, students aged 6 to 18 should get between 8 and 10 hours of sleep per night. Primary school students need 10 hours, junior high students require nine, and senior high students should aim for eight.
Yet, research shows widespread sleep loss among this group. A 2023 study co-initiated by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) found that their average nightly sleep duration was just 7.74 hours.
Feng Xia, a sleep medicine specialist at the Second People’s Hospital of Guizhou Province, emphasized the crucial role of sleep in cognitive function.
Chronic sleep deprivation, she warned, can impair memory, attention, reaction time and reasoning, ultimately lowering learning efficiency. It also increases the risk of depression, anxiety and emotional difficulties, negatively impacting students’ overall well-being and development.
Medical professionals further emphasized that sleep loss among young students can lead to developmental delays, weakened immunity, and a higher likelihood of obesity, metabolic diseases, and cardiovascular diseases.
WHY ARE CHILDREN LOSING SLEEP?
A recent survey conducted by Xinhua journalists, which gathered 1,426 responses from parents nationwide, found that nearly half identified excessive homework as the primary reason for their children’s insufficient sleep.
Despite calls from education authorities to limit assignments after school, some schools still overload students with tasks, adding to their academic burden, parents say.
Li An (pseudonym), a parent from Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, shared that her child has resorted to drinking coffee at noon just to keep up.
“With essays, test corrections, previews, summaries, and other assignments piling up, there’s no way to get to bed before 11 p.m.,” said the mother of a first-year junior high school student.
These sleep-deprived children are raising concerns among healthcare providers too.
Last year, Wang Le (pseudonym), a high school student, sought treatment at the sleep disorder clinic at Southwest Hospital of Army Medical University in Chongqing after struggling with chronic insomnia. A comprehensive evaluation confirmed he had a sleep disorder.
Wang recounted that his sleep troubles began in junior high school when academic pressure intensified, leaving him anxious and restless. “After entering high school, my insomnia worsened, and sometimes I would experience sudden panic or overwhelming pessimism,” he said.
Huang Xiaohan, a physician at the hospital, noted that cases like Wang’s are becoming increasingly common. More adolescents — and even primary school students — are showing signs of sleep disorders related to stress.
Lu Jin, a doctor at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, identified another key factor: excessive screen time combined with reduced outdoor activity. These habits disrupt the brain’s chemical balance, exacerbating sleep difficulties.
“Strictly limiting screen time is essential,” Lu emphasized. “Parents should ensure their children spend time outdoors daily — whether running, swimming, or playing ball games.” These have become some of her most frequent medical recommendations.
SOLUTIONS FOR BETTER SLEEP
In a broader effort to address sleep and mental health concerns for all age groups, China has announced plans to establish sleep and mental health clinics in every prefecture-level city by the end of 2025, improving access to professional help for those struggling with psychological and sleep-related anxiety.
To alleviate homework pressure for children, the country has introduced various measures, including optimizing school schedules, reducing written assignments, and encouraging reasonable bedtimes, to foster collaboration between schools and families.
In 2018, authorities issued a 30-point document setting clear limits on written homework, ensuring adequate sleep, and regulating exam frequency. The 2021 “double reduction” policy aimed to further ease the burden of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring.
Building on these efforts, local governments have implemented tailored policies to safeguard children’s sleep. Since late 2024, education authorities in Longyan, Fujian Province, have allowed primary school students to stop doing homework and go to bed by 9:30 p.m., with the option to explain unfinished assignments to teachers the next day.
However, ensuring adequate rest requires more than just reducing the workload. Zhang Yan, an associate researcher at CASS, emphasized the need for education authorities and schools to shift away from an overemphasis on test scores and university admissions, calling for the full implementation of the “double reduction” policy.
China has also made physical activity a key priority in its strategy to improve sleep quality.
“Exercise stimulates dopamine production, which not only strengthens the body but also reduces anxiety and depression, ultimately improving sleep quality,” noted Wang Jianquan, a physician at Peking University Third Hospital.
In 2021, Chinese authorities mandated that students engage in two hours of daily exercise — one during school hours and one off-campus. Local governments have introduced policies to ensure regular physical activity. For example, Shenzhen implemented a “one physical education class per day” policy for compulsory education in 2024.
Moreover, healthy napping initiatives are gaining traction across the country. In Shenzhen, over 200 schools of compulsory education have introduced specially designed desks and chairs that allow students to nap comfortably during lunch breaks — a program that has already benefited nearly 300,000 students.
Physician Huang Xiaohan stressed the importance of parental influence in fostering healthy lifestyles.
“Parents should lead by example and cut back on late-night habits,” she said, citing research that found children in households where parents stay up late scrolling on their phones are 2.7 times more likely to go to bed late. ■
