There has been intense debate among healthcare specialists regarding the benefits and drawbacks of co-sleeping with children. While some experts warn against keeping a child in the parents' bed during sleep for safety reasons, some parents point out that sharing a bed brings them closer to their children, according to a report by the British "Daily Mail."
An Indian health coach named Mickey Mehta claimed that sharing the bed with parents is essential for children. He criticized the Western practice of putting children in their own rooms as early as age two or three, even specifying the age of seven as the appropriate time to stop co-sleeping with parents. Mehta cited a mixture of neuroscience and borrowed science, explaining that until the age of seven, mirror neurons in children are highly active, making them very sensitive. He added that a child "will unconsciously learn everything while they are sleeping."
Mirror neurons in the brain activate when a person sees others performing actions, allowing them to learn how to react to those actions. Mirror neurons are considered one of the most important discoveries in neuroscience in the past decade, essential for learning skills and interacting with others. While it is well understood that sleep is when we process and consolidate memories, there is no evidence supporting Mehta's claim that mirror neurons learn unconsciously during sleep.
In an Instagram video, Mehta further explained that a child's subconscious becomes overwhelmed by negativity while sleeping, and that sleeping with a parent would help protect them from that, saying, "The child dreams of fear and phobias because their subconscious is fragile and picks up every signal." Mehta mentioned that according to "astral projection, children cry and urinate." However, what he meant was not logically explained, as astral projection is generally not recognized as a credible science.
Mehta continued by saying, "There is no comfort, recovery, or repair." Dr. Mona Amin, a pediatrician, commented, "Oh my God, I have never heard so much nonsense in one video from a man." She added, "He implies that children wet the bed due to trauma, fear, and separation, which is not the case," explaining that "bedwetting is common among many children due to bladder immaturity and not due to anxiety."
Dr. Amin clarified, "Children do not need to sleep next to their mothers for seven years to feel attached. Independent sleeping is possible and developmentally typical, and it can actually mean better sleep for both the child and the parents." Surprisingly, Amrita Saraf, a child sleep consultant, agreed with Mehta's opinion on co-sleeping, stating, "Look, co-sleeping is always healthier and better. I do not shame anyone for not sleeping with their children because everyone has the right to do what suits them." However, she wanted to point out that what Mehta said is true. Intuitively and scientifically, if a child suffers from sleep disturbances, they will not get restful sleep, which can lead to all sorts of developmental and behavioral issues. However, there is no scientific evidence linking sleep disorders in children to astral projection.
