Do you want to know why kids need to sleep? Yes. Many years ago, I wondered if children, including mine, receive enough rest between schoolwork, sports, after-school activities, sleepovers, and all the other activities that fill our children’s days.
However, after conducting extensive study, I discovered that all persons affected by a lack of sleep, particularly children, are prone to the detrimental impacts of a sleepless night since their bodies and minds are still growing.
Once it’s 7:45 p.m., my husband and I sleep-trained them from a young age, and our pattern is unbreakable.
They bathe, brush their teeth, pray, and listen to stories. Then it’s all over. That is why they have fewer meltdowns. As you read further, you may learn the same experience at home.
Keep reading because I’ll give you an in-depth review of why sleep is vital for kids in a minute.
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Let’s get this party started.
What Are The Reasons Your Kid Needs Sleep
It is simple to understand. While your child sleeps, his body produces HGH (Human Growth Hormone), which helps him develop and heals muscles, tissue, and bone.”
1. Sleep lowers the chance of damage.
When children do not get enough sleep, they become clumsier and more impulsive, increasing the likelihood of an accident.
One study of Chinese youngsters discovered that those who slept for fewer than nine hours each night for school-age children were considerably more likely to get injuries that required medical treatment. In addition, 91 percent of children with two or more injuries in 12 months slept for less than nine hours each night.
2. Sleep improves children’s attention span.
Children who habitually sleep less than ten hours each night before the age of three are three times more likely to develop hyperactivity and impulsive behavior issues by age six.
“However, the symptoms of sleep deprivation and ADHD, such as impulsivity and distractibility, almost precisely mirror each other.
In other words, even if they do not have ADHD, exhausted children might be impulsive and preoccupied.
No one knows how many children are misdiagnosed with the disorder, but she believes that ruling out sleep difficulties is a key diagnosis component.
According to studies, adding as little as 27 minutes of extra sleep every night helps school-age children control their moods and impulses so they can focus on homework.
Children with ADHD appear to be particularly prone to the consequences of inadequate sleep.
Parents are nearly three times more likely to report that their child with ADHD has difficulty falling and staying asleep than parents whose children do not have ADHD.
3. Sleep improves learning.
A newborn may appear to be sleeping peacefully, yet his brain works hard all night. When they played several noises for sleeping babies, followed by a slight blow of air on their eyelids.
Within 20 minutes, the sleeping newborns, aged one to two days, had learned to squint in anticipation of the air puff.
And what about the twitching that all newborns exhibit when sleeping? It is how their nervous system tests the brain-muscle relationship.
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What Are The Advantages Of Sleep For A Child’s Brain Development
It’s easy to figure out. A good night’s sleep is analogous to feeding your brain. It is critical to both your physical and emotional health that you get adequate rest each night.
Your mind can refresh itself and assimilate new information while you sleep. It is the only time during the day when your body can relax and heal itself.
It makes you more awake and offers you the energy you need to get things done.
If you don’t sleep enough, you can have trouble thinking, concentrating, remembering things, responding quickly, and feeling happy.
How Much Sleep Does A Child Need And Why Is Adequate Sleep Important For A Child?
It is simple to understand. To begin, the quantity of Sleep children should obtain varies greatly, but below is a decent overall reference for suggested total sleep each day.
16 hours for newborns aged 0 to 1 year
11 to 14 hours for toddlers aged 1-2 years
Children aged 3-5 years old in preschool: 10-13 hours
Sixth-through-thirteen-year-olds at school: 9-11 hours
Fourteen- to seventeen-year-olds: Ten to Twelve
Based on their genetic and physiological demands, it may be suitable for confident children to sleep one to two hours more or less than the suggestion above.
Sleep is an integral aspect of everyone’s routine and vital to a healthy lifestyle. According to several studies, children who obtain an adequate amount of sleep each night do better in various domains, including attention, behavior, learning, memory, and overall mental and physical health. Lack of sleep is linked to higher blood pressure, weight gain, and irritability.
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What Happens When Children Don’t Get Enough Sleep
It is simple to understand. This is what happens, In older children, poor sleep manifests as chronic weariness, daytime sleepiness, trouble concentrating or functioning at top levels, and even difficulties managing emotions.
Outbursts, behavioral issues, and hyperactivity might resemble attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in younger children.
“While older children and adults may appear sleepy when we don’t get enough sleep, young children may exhibit the opposite behavior.”
They may appear to have too much energy, get angry, and act out.” When children do not get enough sleep, it might be difficult for them to concentrate in school or control their emotions.”
However, the younger your child, the more sleep time they need.
Here are some of my suggestions on sleep length.
1. Newborns (0 to 3 months old) require 14 to 17 hours of sleep daily, whereas infants (4 to 11 months old) require 12 to 15 hours. A toddler (1 to 2 years) needs 11 to 14 hours of sleep daily.
A preschooler (3 to 5 years old) needs 10 to 13 hours of sleep daily. The average daytime rest needs for a child of school age, which ranges from 6 to 13 years old, is between 9 and 11 hours.
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How Can I Help Kids Build Healthy Sleep Habits
It’s an easy process. Based on my experience, here are some tips to assist your children in developing good sleeping habits:
1. Make going to bed a primary priority.
Extending their bedtime is the most excellent strategy to enhance a child’s sleep.
To the best of your abilities, maintain a regular sleep routine with the same bedtimes and waking hours every day, especially on weekends and throughout the summer.
If your kid has to modify the time they get up, such as when the school year begins or during a time change, assist them in making gradual changes.
Creating a nighttime ritual might also be beneficial. Consider bathing more minor children, going to picture books, reading aloud, or singing songs.
Try reading, listening to music, journaling, or relaxation activities with pre-teens and teenagers. Whatever you pick, doing the same things in the same order every night is beneficial.
2. Reduce screen time before bedtime to enhance sleep:
Keeping screens and phones away from the bed and not using them as a hangout helps kids link it with sleep and only sleep, which allows them to fall asleep faster and sleep better.
Turning off all devices (phones and screens) and reducing the lights at least an hour before bedtime is recommended.
Final thought:
Now that we have established why sleep is important for kids, If your kid isn’t receiving the required amount of sleep or appears sluggish or foggy throughout the day, talk to your physician about what you can do to assist.