Does Your Child Get Enough Sleep?

Sleep.

Essential. Elusive. In seemingly short supply.

We all crave it. We all need it. And most of us know the untoward effects of sleep deprivation on ourselves.

However, do you know the long term effects of sleep deprivation on your children?

Sure, we all know they can get cranky and prone to temper tantrums. Unfortunately, chronic sleep deprivation can prove costly to their health, development, and growth.

So, is your child getting enough sleep?

I ask this just a short 15 minutes after putting my 6 year old to bed (again) and it’s 9:00 pm. And you know what? We started our bedtime routine at 7:30! No joke, this child is the master of delaying bedtime and we’re working hard over here to ensure he gets enough.

Now you know why I started paying my kids to go to sleep. Apparently, I need to pay him more.

How much sleep does your child need?

Starting with toddlers (ages 1-3), you should aim for 10-13 hours within a 24 hour period. This will likely include one nap at this age. Preschoolers and school aged children need slightly less at 10-12 hours per night. These numbers drop dramatically once your child becomes a teen, they should clock 8.5 to 9.5 hours per night. Of course, the challenge then becomes overriding their natural drive to stay up late and sleep in. And yes, this can be frustrating for parents and teens.

What does chronic sleep deprivation do to children and teens?

• Decreases attention at school, leaves them prone to hyperactivity, and behavioral problems start creeping up. Sound like ADHD? Studies have shown time and again that lack of sleep is closely tied to an increase in ADHD like symptoms.

• Obesity. Children who are chronically sleep deprived gain more weight (FYI same goes for adults too). A combination of factors seem to be at play here, namely increased snacking and an increase in appetite due to hormonal/metabolic disturbances associated with lack of sleep.

• Interferes with learning and memory. Not to mention those sleep deprived teens behind the wheel (never a good combination).

• Increases stress and affects mood. Think increased anxiety and temper tantrums. Depressive symptoms are also exacerbated by lack of sleep.

• Decreases function of the immune system, leaving your child prone to getting sick.

• Diabetes. Repeatedly forgoing that extra hour of sleep leads to insulin resistance, a known risk factor for developing diabetes later in life.

• Last, but certainly not least, your child needs sleep to grow, literally. Growth hormone is secreted in higher amounts during sleep; hence, lack of sleep will result in suboptimal growth.

Tips for getting them to bed:

• No matter what your child’s age, have a set bedtime routine. Ours goes something like this: bath, pajamas, teeth brushing, bedtime book (or two), prayers, goodnight song, any last minute words (usually it’s a barrage of questions by my 6 year old), and then lights out. Create a relaxing routine that works for your family and stick with it.

• No TV, video games, computers, iPhones, iPods, DSi, etc. in your child’s room. No exceptions. Let your children (teens especially) know that facebooking, tweeting, and texting are off limits once the bedtime routine has commenced. Our world has become so electronically over stimulating, we really do need to shut it off and “go dark” when bedtime rolls around.

• Speaking of dark, make sure your child’s room is as dark as can be. My son prefers a nightlight. However, I convinced him to turn it down to the lowest setting by explaining how hard it is for his brain to sleep when there is too much light (aka darkness stimulates melatonin which regulates sleep).

• Keep the room cool and any outside noise to a minimum.

• Avoid caffeine and make sure your child gets his 60 minutes of daily physical activity.

As you can see, getting the right amount of sleep is crucial for our children’s growth, development, and overall health. Believe me, I know it’s not always easy. With school, homework, soccer, dance, and several other activities competing for a place on our children’s schedule, we need to make sure adequate sleep doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Do you think your child is getting enough sleep? Is bedtime a struggle for you and your family? What tips do you have for ensuring everyone gets the sleep they need?