Getting a good night’s sleep is something that every new parent craves for. It can be difficult in the first year to get continuous hours of sleep due to a baby’s feeding schedule. As important it is for an adult to get sleep in order to function properly and stay healthy, it is even more important for young children. Research has shown that in the first year, babies need 14 – 18 hours of sleep per day. The goal is to get them down for 10 hours per night and the rest of the time can be made up during daytime naps. Toddlers generally need 13 hours per day. That’s 10 at night and 3 broken up into morning and afternoon naps. Elementary and Middle School aged kid’s need 10 -11 hours of sleep per night and by High School it’s around 8.5 – 9.5 hours.
However, with modern lifestyles in which parents have to work late and kids stay up to wait for them or have after-school activities that run past dinnertime, kids are generally sleeping less. There are many benefits for parents who ensure that there children are getting enough sleep.
First of all, a good night’s sleep helps to diminish temper tantrums in young children. A sleep-deprived child (like an adult) has more trouble controlling his angers and frustrations. This contributes to increased sensitivity, stubbornness, explosive anger issues and impatience. A child who doesn’t get the sleep he needs might display ADHD like behavior, making him appear more wired with a lack of focus. This translates to inattentiveness in a classroom setting, chatting with classmates instead of listening to the teacher and a basic lack of composure.
To stay healthy physically, your child needs a good night sleep. During sleep, the body replaces chemicals and generally sorts out and stores information. It’s time for the brain to rest and create order of all the things they experienced during the day. Additionally, research experts have proven that kids grow when they sleep. The human growth hormone is a chemical that triggers growth. It’s produced in bursts throughout the day but is mainly released during sleep. Lack of enough sleep can also affect the immune system causing more colds to take hold.
Here are some quick tips to help you get your child down for a sound sleep each night:
1) Establish a place where your child can sleep well - Decide where you think your baby will sleep best. Preferably a quiet, dark place that is temperature controlled.
2) Develop a sleeping style that works for you – Some parents like to keep babies in the master bedroom for the first year, especially if the mother is nursing so they don’t have to go far to feed them at night.
3) Get rid of any physical discomforts - Blocked nose, teething pain, soiled diapers, airborne irritants, noise and even irritating bedding or sleepwear can cause your child not to sleep comfortably for longer hours. Find out what the problem is and eliminate it.
4) Ensure your baby sleeps with a full tummy - Part of the reason your child might be waking up at night is because of an empty tummy. Before sleep ensure your child is not hungry.
5) Establish a predictable and consistent nighttime routine - This works to condition the kid that it is time to sleep. Routines such as night baths, nursing, rocking, bedtime stories and other comforting techniques can work. Find a routine that works and stick with it.
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