Getting a good night sleep is a very crucial for everyone but it is an absolute necessity for children. A lot of development in children depends on their sleep. However, getting your little one to sleep is quite a task. Therefore, making sure that your kids get good sleep will require you to understand the importance of it first. This article will guide you to understand the importance of sound sleep, and the tips you can help your child to have a sound sleep.
Need for enough sleeps for your kids
Scientists have studied a lot about sleep and other human body mechanisms. There has been a lot of researches sleep and related issues, and it has proved beyond doubt that a good sleep is a very crucial for our life. Scientists say that sleep is necessary for repairing and reinvigorating our bodies. Moreover, it also regulates our body clock and ensures that our biological processes occur on right time.
And it has been pointed out that in kids, sleep plays an even more vital role. The body of children is in growing stage and experiences constant developments. Proper sleep in children ensures proper growth and better health. Studies have revealed that the kids who don’t get adequate sleep in early life may see adverse effects on their well-being later in their life. Therefore, parents should be quite careful about this aspect. Do maximum to make sure that you kid sleeps well.
Know how much sleep is right for your kid
Now the next question that you must want to get an answer to is what is the right amount of sleep for your child. The answer to this question varies depending on the age of your kid. The amount of sleep and patterns of sleep tend to change as the children grow. Read below to find more on this:
- Newborns (0-3 months)
Newborn babies need a lot of sleep, and they are expected to sleep round-the-clock. Any amount of sleep between 11 to 18 hours is perfect for them. Newborns sleeping patterns are very irregular with one to three hours of waking time in between.Newborns will be very active and will be crying a lot.
- 4-11 months
As the kid grows, the sleeping pattern sees some changes. Their sleeping time gradually decreases. A 4-11 months’ babies require about 09-12 hours of sleep. They tend to take short naps during the day, and these naps can be as brief as 30-minutes.
At this stage of life, a kid tends to wake up less at night and night feedings are not required very often.
- 1-2 years-old
When the kid grows and is nearly one year of age, the sleeping time decreases, and the child becomes more active. A child of one to two years of age sleeps for about 11 to 14 hours a day. During the daytime, they sleep only once and the nap can be longer. Usually, the day nap lasts from one to three hours.
- 3-5 years-old (preschoolers)
In the age of 3 to 5 years, a kid becomes very active. Daytime naps become less frequent and shorter. Any amount of sleep between 11 to 13 hours is good for a child of three to five years of age.In this age, they tend to see dreams and can show nighttime fears.
- 6-13 years-old (school age)
Children of six to thirteen years of age are school-going kids. The increase in their physical and social activities tends to affect their sleep time and habits. However, you must be careful that your child sleeps for any time between 09 to 11 hours.
Lesser sleep can lead to behavioral changes and other disorders.
Sleeping problems your kid may face
It has found that children experience a few problems in their sleep which can lower their time or quality of sleep leading to adverse effects. Given below are some of the common sleep problems:
- Night Waking:
This happens when the kid wakes up randomly in the middle of the night at inappropriate times. Though this is common in kids, increased frequency can be problematic. You have to take if such situation continues by knowing the reason behind it.
- Sleep onset association:
This is when your kids sleeping associated with rocking or sucking a pacifier. The child may wake up if you disturb or stop that particular activity. The only solution to this problem is to train your child.
- Resistance to going to bed:
This is when the kid will not want to go to sleep for various reasons. It can be solved by adjusting their schedule and prepare them for sleep.
- Parasomnias:
This includes multiple problems but is not a big deal. However, it can mostly affect your kid’s sleeping patterns.
- Separation anxiety:
This happens when the child will not let you go away while they sleep. They feel uneasy while you are not there. Discipline is the answer to this. Train yourself to resist the urge to check your kid many times during their sleep.
Tips for better and right amount of sleep
A few simple steps can help your child sleep better
- Set an appropriate environment for them by switching off the lights and making sure that there are no loud noises.
- Discipline your child to sleep at and wake up at the right time. Do not disturb their sleeping pattern.
- Remove all distractions like gadgets and toys that can keep them awake.
- Make their bedtime fun by playing and chatting with then. This habit will help them relax and sleep quickly.
In conclusion, we can say that sleep is imperative to kids and can help them grow in a healthy manner. The right amount and good quality of sleep are vital for their overall development. Don’t push your child to sleep but make it a fun experience so that they sleep soundly. Children who sleep better grow up to have better physical and mental health. Therefore, take care of their sleep as well as you take care of their other aspects like food. It is vital.