Parents don’t often know that sleep is a cornerstone to children’s health. There has been another recent study published by the American Medical Association that demonstrates children don’t get enough sleep. Proper sleep is responsible for growth, behavior, learning, and much more. As a parent, there are several things you should do to ensure your child has the proper amount of sleep.
Children need more sleep than one knows. Newborns will easily sleep about 20 hours per day with their waking hours spent primarily feeding. Sleep requirements lessen the older a child gets, but even high school youth need about 8-10 hours of every night. Unfortunately, most kids don’t get the 8-14 hours nightly (based upon age) that are required.
In order to get proper sleep, the environment must be appropriate. This means that a child should be prepared for bed by refraining from the usage of electronics within 1 hour of bedtime. Watching television, scrolling cell phones, and playing video games stimulates the mind which makes it more difficult to fall into the proper sleep cycle. The room should also be relatively dark and quiet, free of distractions.
Furthermore, caffeine taken in the form of soda, coffee, teas, and energy drinks can also disrupt sleep. Limit caffeinated foods and beverages for at least 8 hours prior to bedtime. Caffeine metabolism in children is markedly slower than adults. This makes the stimulant effects of caffeine linger.
Although winter has its grips on much of the country currently, spring is on the way. With spring comes a time change when most of the United States “springs forward” on the clock. This too can be disruptive to the sleep of your children as now there is an arbitrary loss of 1 hour of sleep. Parents can prepare for this time change by adjusting bedtime slowly 1-2 weeks ahead of the time change. Adjusting the time your child goes to sleep in 15 minute increments can take the sting out of the time change altogether.
If you think you have Bad @$$ Kids, look at their sleep patterns first. In many cases, children act out because they haven’t had enough rest for their active minds and bodies. Ensuring that your child gets the recommended sleep can help balance their behavior.
Getting too little sleep can be the cause of a myriad of health problems in children. Parents must do their part to ensure that their children get the proper amount of sleep in the proper conditions. If you have concerns about the quality of your child’s sleep, make sure you contact your child’s physician.
Doctor Jarret is a board-certified pediatrician and best-selling author of Whose Bad @$$ Kids Are Those? A Parent’s Guide to Behavior for Children of all Ages. If you want more parenting tips, tune into “Two ‘Sense’ Tuesdays with Doctor Jarret” on his Facebook fan page @doctorjarret every Tuesday at 1:00PM EST. You can connect with doctor Jarret at any time on all social media @doctorjarret.
