Unleashing children’s potential: An evidence-based narrative review of strategies to enhance cognitive function and intelligence in school-age children

Table 6 Sleep parameters, neurobiological mechanisms, and cognitive outcomes in school-age children

Sleep parameter	Key neurobiological mechanisms	Cognitive/executive domains affected	Representative interventions
Total sleep duration	Synaptic homeostasis; energy restoration; prefrontal cortex efficiency	Attention, working memory, processing speed, and inhibitory control	Age-appropriate sleep schedules; parent-guided bedtime routines
Sleep quality (continuity, fragmentation)	Stable neural oscillations; efficient hippocampal-cortical communication	Learning efficiency, executive control, sustained attention	Sleep hygiene education: Reducing nighttime awakenings
Slow-wave sleep (non-rapid eye movement stage 3)	Memory consolidation; synaptic downscaling; cortical plasticity	Declarative memory, learning retention, executive integration	Consistent sleep timing; minimizing evening arousal and caffeine
Rapid eye movement sleep	Emotional memory processing; procedural learning; cognitive flexibility	Cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, and problem-solving	Regular sleep-wake cycles; limiting screen exposure before bedtime
Sleep timing/circadian alignment	Synchronization of circadian clocks; optimal melatonin signaling	Attention, academic performance, and executive efficiency	Fixed wake times, morning light exposure, and delayed evening screen use
Sleep regularity (weekday-weekend consistency)	Circadian rhythm stability; neuroendocrine regulation	Sustained attention; behavioral regulation; metacognition	Consistent bedtimes; limiting “social jet lag”
Sleep hygiene behaviors	Reduced cognitive arousal, autonomic balance, and stress modulation	Executive control; emotional regulation; learning readiness	Screen-free bedtime routines; calming pre-sleep activities
Sleep disruption (chronic deprivation)	Prefrontal hypoactivation; increased cortisol; neuroinflammation	Inhibitory control deficits, impulsivity, and attention lapses	Behavioral sleep interventions; school-based sleep education