“Always kiss your children goodnight, even if they’re already asleep.”
— H. Jackson Brown
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Why should we even talk about “Children and sleep”? and why is it so Important?
Studies have shown that kids who regularly get a good amount of sleep (which we need to understand better) have improved :
- attention,
- behavior,
- learning,
- memory, and
- overall mental and physical health.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:
- Infants under 1 year: 12-16 hours of sleep a day
- Children 1-2 years old: 11-14 hours of sleep a day
- Children 3-5 years old: 10-13 hours of sleep a day
- Children 6-12 years old: 9-12 hours of sleep a day
- Teenagers 13-18 years old: 8-10 hours of sleep a day
How can we improve time and quality of our children sleep?
All experts agree routines help! Same bedtime routine every evening that includes:
- Dim the lights
- Stop use of electronics/screens at least an hour before bed
- Limit caffeine (for teenagers)
- Take a warm bath
- Do a quiet family activity such as reading a short book or an appropriate game (see later in the article)
- Set a wake-up time
- Reduce stress before bedtime
- Summarize the day they just had
Interesting facts about children and sleep:
- Children who slept longer showed less depression and higher cognitive scores. Children who slept longer had less screen time on phones, computers, etc. and also reported feeling a greater sense of safety and security in their homes and neighborhoods.
- Sufficient sleep is important at all ages, but good sleep during childhood, when the brain is developing, is crucial for optimal outcomes.
- 20% of teenagers get less than 5 hours of sleep, while average amount is 6.5 hours.
- 41%of adults prefer to sleep in the fetal position while only 8% sleep on their back, even though it’s the healthiest position.
- Falling asleep takes on average 10-15 minutes. If you pass out within a few minutes, it might mean you are sleep deprived.
- 3-5%of obesity in adults could be caused by lack of sleep.
Sources:
https://www.hopkinsallchildrens.org/ACH-News/General-News/The-importance-of-sleep-for-kids
https://www.sleepadvisor.org/sleep-statistics/
Children and sleep – My recommended games and gifts:
2- Set of 30 Worry Dolls for Age 3+
5–LittleHippo Mella Ready to Rise Children’s Trainer, Alarm Clock, Night Light Sleep Sounds Machine
Recommended Age: 0+ for night light/sleep sounds; 3+ for all functions
In addition to those selected toys and gifts, i highly recommend you to read about How to help our kids with Stress and Anxiety?
I hope you found this article interesting, not too specific but not too vague. I hope it will help you for your next gift!
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Haha love sleep! Great article!
Great ideas! Why didn’t I know about them before ?! 🙂