Is your child getting enough sleep? How can you tell and what
can you do about it?
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) released a survey which
estimated that one-third of toddlers and preschoolers and nearly
one in four school aged children aren't getting enough sleep.
The consequences for lack of sleep are hardly unknown to parents
who have themselves been victims of sleepless nights during the
early childhood years. But what are the specific problems that
affect children who are lacking sleep?
SLEEP AND MEMORY:
In studies with adults it has been shown that a lack of sleep
affects attention and arousal. We are all aware of the problems
caused by drowsy drivers who have been at the wheel too long and
veer off the road or cause deadly accidents.
In a study with children who were restricted in sleep they did
not score as well on memory, attention and learning tests the
next day.
SLEEP AND BEHAVIOR:
In an article on children and sleeping problems by Today's
Parent there was a quote from John Bates, a developmental
psychologist. In two studies trying to find a link between sleep
deficit and behavior problems he stated that "it could be that
sleep deficit causes the behavior problems or it could be that
behavior problems, and all that goes along with that, could make
it harder for children to settle down for sleep, or that some
unknown problem is causing both the sleep and behavior
problems."
Whichever is the case he still claims that in some cases they
have had success and achieved dramatic behavioral improvements
simply by increasing a child's sleep.
Although this should not be considered a solution for serious
behavior problems, if your child seems unduly irritable,
over-active or cranky you may find putting them to bed an hour
earlier will create a drastic improvement.
HOW MUCH SLEEP DO THEY NEED?
Each individual has their own needs, but generally speaking
the NSF suggests children three to five should get 11 to 13
hours of sleep (including naps); five to 12 year olds need 10 to
11 hours and teens 13 to 18 should try to get 8.5 to 9.25 hours
per night.
If you suspect a problem related to sleep then consider whether
you notice if the problem is connected. Is your child more
irritable and cranky late in the day? Is she often hard to waken
or difficult to get to sleep in the first place? Does she waken
frequently during the night?
If you feel the issue is sleep related and putting your child to
bed earlier is not working, talk to your doctor about other
steps you can take. It is a long term benefit to diagnose
sleeping problems early on.
Author: Mickael Kerenterff. For more information, please visit
my website at http://www.SweetSleepSecretsRevealed.com where you can grab
a free e-course about Sweet Sleep Secrets. You will discover How
to Finally End Your Insomnia and Wake Up Feeling Refreshed and
Energized All Day Long!
Visit
All Natural Cures
for more home remedies and natural cures.
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