Is your child getting enough sleep?
Sleep is one of the most important things we can do for our health, and yet it is one of the first things sacrificed when life gets busy. You probably know when you are tired and not getting enough sleep. But do you know how much sleep your child needs? Would you recognize the signs if your child had a sleep problem?
Adults need seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. Children need even more. Following are recommendations from The Sleep Center at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin:
- Newborns to 18 months: 10-18 hours of sleep a day (including naps).
- 18 months to 3 years: 12-14 hours a day (including naps).
- 3 to 5 years: 11-13 hours a night.
- 5 to 12 years: 9-11 hours a night.
- Teens: 9 hours a night.
In addition to getting enough sleep, parents need to ensure their child is sleeping well. Sleep problems tend to go undiagnosed in children. Signs of sleep problems include difficulty falling asleep, nighttime awakenings, snoring, resisting going to bed, having trouble breathing during sleep, and loud or heavy breathing while sleeping. Sleep problems also can show up during the daytime in the form of an overtired, sleepy or cranky child.
To help determine if your child may have a sleep problem, ask yourself the following questions:
- Does your child have difficulty going to bed and falling asleep?
- Is your child always difficult to wake up in the morning?
- Does your child seem sleepy or groggy during the day?
- Does he or she often seem overtired (this can mean moody, hyper or sleepy)?
- Does your child often wake up at night and have trouble falling back to sleep?
- Does your child regularly snore?
- Does he or she ever stop breathing or choke or gasp during sleep?
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, your child could have a sleep problem. It is important to talk to your child's doctor. In children, inadequate sleep has been linked to poor concentration and performance in school. In teenagers, sleep deprivation has been associated with increases in drowsy driving and car crashes. Loss of sleep also is hormonally associated with weight gain in children and adults.
Here are some tips to help your child become a good sleeper:
- Plan a schedule that includes the necessary sleep time and stick to it, even on the weekends.
- Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. Turn off the television and computer and do quiet activities with your child, such as reading.
- Keep your child's schedule balanced. Never let involvement in too many activities take the place of sleep.
- Teach your child to eat healthy and exercise regularly. Both will help them maintain a healthy weight. Overweight children are at risk for sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder.
Talk to your child's doctor if you have any concerns. Most sleep problems are treatable. |
