Is Your Child Sleeping Enough?
Sleep is vital to every person’s health and wellbeing, but it’s especially important for children, whose brains and bodies are still developing. According to a Healthline report, an estimated 52% of the U.S. population aged 6 to 17 isn’t getting the recommended amount of sleep each night. Is your child or grandchild getting enough? Here’s how to tell and what to do about it if they aren’t.
Research suggests that over half of all children between 6 and 17 years old aren’t getting enough sleep. Moreover, this lack of sleep can cause problems with memory, learning, mood and behavior—essentially impacting all areas of a child's life. In some cases, lack of sleep can be caused by nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking or bed-wetting so it helps to check these things off the list first. Let's look a little deeper.
How Much Sleep Does a Child Need?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends timing a child’s sleep requirements by age. Estimated hours do include naps and are for any 24-hour period:
- Children under a year old need 12 to 16 hours.
- Children 1 to 2 years old need 11 to 14 hours.
- Children between 3 and 5 years old need 10 to 13 hours.
- Children between 6 and 12 years old need 9 to 12 hours.
- Children between 13 and 18 years old need 8 to 10 hours.
If a child’s sleep duration doesn’t fit into these guidelines, it could be detrimental to their health and caregivers should consider looking deeper at the underlying cause as well as treatment options.
Potential Mental and Physical Health Effects
A child who isn’t getting enough sleep may have issues with memory and learning, which could affect their performance in school. They might exhibit behavior problems, moodiness or inattentiveness. Nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking or bed-wetting may also be indications of a lack of good sleep. In teenagers, the problem can manifest as depression or even self-harming and suicidal ideation—so this is nothing to trifle with.
Children who don’t get enough sleep are at risk for physical challenges as well. One study found a link between sleep deprivation and childhood obesity. EEG studies have shown that sleep deprivation may affect brain development. Other potential health effects could include diabetes, increased blood pressure and increased risks for heart disease and stroke.
How to Help Children Get More Sleep
The AAP recommends turning off all television, tablets and other electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime, and keeping all forms of screens out of a child’s bedroom. It’s also important to establish a regular routine with a set bedtime and stick to it. Try reading to the child or listening to music with them for 20 or 30 minutes to calm the mood and end the day on a positive note. Winding down can really help the adults in the house, too. On weekends, try to have them up within an hour of the weekday wake-up time to keep them on schedule and to avoid breaking important routines.
Sleep is every bit as vital to a child’s good health as clean air and fresh water, and it’s up to their caregivers to make sure they’re getting enough. Watch for any problems with mood, behavior or concentration, and consider seeking help if the usual methods don't make a difference.
Related Keywords
