International Children’s Sleep Conference in Budapest on World Sleep Day

By: Trademagazin Date: 2026. 03. 13. 09:39

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Sleep is a fundamental biological need of human life, essential for the development of the nervous system, the functioning of the immune system and the maintenance of mental balance. Modern medicine and neuroscience research provide increasing evidence that the quality and quantity of sleep are closely related to health, cognitive performance and long-term quality of life. In recent years, sleep – especially children’s sleep – has therefore become a prominent health topic worldwide.

The Hungarian Pediatric Sleep Innovation and Research Center, located at the Heim Pál National Institute of Pediatrics, plays an important role in this international scientific discourse, and is one of the leading domestic workshops for pediatric sleep research and clinical care. The head of the center, Dr. med. habil Benedek Pálma PhD, who, together with his colleagues, examines issues related to children’s sleep in a multidisciplinary approach, from clinical diagnostics to sleep disorder therapy to research projects. The conference will be attended by Prof. Karen Spruyt PhD, a professor at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), who is the elected future president of the International Pediatric Sleep Society and the European representative of the governing body of the World Sleep Society.

At the initiative of the center, the first international Pediatric Sleep Conference will be held in Budapest on March 13, 2026, World Pediatric Sleep Day, which is a meeting of international experts in pediatrics, sleep medicine and related fields. The conference aims to present the latest findings in pediatric sleep research and provide a space for sharing clinical experiences, innovative diagnostic methods and therapeutic approaches.

A new focus for pediatric sleep research

The importance of sleep in medicine has long been overshadowed by other clinical topics. However, in the past two decades, advances in neuroscience, chronobiology and clinical sleep research have shed new light on this area. It is now clear that sleep, beyond a passive state of rest, is an active regeneration and regulatory process of the brain, which plays a key role in learning, memory and emotional stability.

Sleep and its quality are particularly decisive in childhood, as the most intensive development of the nervous system takes place during this period of life.

“Children’s sleep is not only about rest, but is also a basic condition for development,” emphasizes Dr. Benedek Pálma. “During sleep, nervous and hormonal processes take place that determine the child’s physical and mental development.”