Healthy Sleep Patterns Give Children a Great Start
How a child sleeps is a strong predictor of how well the child will function during the day. Since sleep is vital to the health and well being of all children, parents and teachers are on the right track when they focus on establishing healthy sleep habits for children. Children who sleep poorly are more likely to struggle with inattentiveness, behavior problems, and moodiness, and unhealthy sleep habits during early childhood set the stage for poor habits during adolescence and adulthood.
Although each child is different and has different sleep needs, sleep experts recommend 11-13 hours of sleep per 24 hours for 3-5 year olds, and 10-11 hours of sleep per 24 hours for 5-12 year olds (National Sleep Foundation, 2004). Teenagers function best with at least 9 hours of sleep per night, yet many adolescents sleep less than 6-7 hours per night. The result is chronic daytime sleepiness and difficulty concentrating, moodiness, irritability, and risk for falling asleep while driving.
The following tips will provide guidance for parents and those who are in a position to influence parents of school-aged children:
- Make bedtime the same every night. Wide variations in bedtime make it difficult for children to obtain a consistent amount of sleep seven nights a week.
- Make bedtime a positive and relaxing experience by following a consistent bedtime ritual, without TV or radio. Although children may disagree, falling asleep with the TV playing generally works against good sleep and serves to over stimulate the child.
- Encourage children to fall asleep and return to sleep on their own. Put children to bed in their own bed drowsy but awake. Discourage nighttime awakenings by minimizing your trips into the child’s room at night. Returning into the child’s room multiple times or staying in the room excessively creates the expectation that a parent will be present frequently during the night.
- A good bedtime routine might include a light snack, bath time, put on pajamas, brush teeth, read a story or have a brief prayer time, put the child in bed, say “Good night” and leave. A good night time routine makes it easier for the child to relax and fall asleep, and encourages the child to sleep through the night.
The Methodist Healthcare Sleep Disorders Center is an award-winning sleep facility accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The Sleep Center specializes in sleep disorders affecting patients of any age. For more information, please contact the Sleep Center at (901) 683-0044.
Merrill S. Wise, M.D.
Pediatric Sleep Medicine Specialist
Methodist Healthcare Sleep Disorders Center
