Interestingly, our children aren’t getting enough sleep. Unfortunately, family members bear much of the financial, emotional, psychological, social, burden when a child suffers from lack of sleep. Does your child get the recommended sleep duration for each day? Apparently, many children (age 0-12) are ignorant of the effects of sleep deprivation. So, you would have to get them on a sleep routine to ensure they get quality sleep.

The truth is that most children consider sleep, especially day-time naps, as a punishment. So many factors contribute to the tendency of our kids to stay awake rather than go to bed. These factors include: not being tired, too busy watching cartoons, playing games, playing with a new or old toy, etc., they are afraid of something, want to be with you or lack the motivation e.g. no enticing bedtime routine.

Recently, a father sought help in Nairaland on how to handle his child who is sleep deprived due to fondness for cartoons. In his own words `` My 3 year old son loves cartoons especially PJ Mask so much to the extent he could watch it from 7pm to 3:am in the morning.  If you take him to the bedroom he won’t sleep, he cries and if not this cartoon nobody watches any other program anymore. He used to be intelligent before now, it seems this PJ Mask has entered his head. Please help me, how can I stop him or distract him from this?

Fortunately, our article on “How to get your kids on a sleep routine” provides useful tips on how to ensure your child gets quality sleep and lives healthily. You have to become deliberate about your child’s sleep time and wake time.  This is amongst many advantages; sufficient sleep will boost your child's immune system and overall wellbeing. Does a child suffer from lack of sleep? Certainly.

HERE’S HOW YOUR CHILD SUFFERS FROM LACK OF SLEEP

Increase risk of health problems

Lack of  sleep can make your kid sick. This is because sleep and the immune system are strongly connected.  Having adequate sleep will boost your child’s immune system which in turns helps protect the body from bacteria and viruses that attack the body. However, sleep deficiency can distort the healthy functioning of the immune system, increasing vulnerability to illnesses. Children who don’t sleep well are exposed to illnesses such as obesity, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, diabetes and so forth.  Besides, not only will a child suffer from these illnesses due to lack of sleep, the entire family also shares in this suffering.

Reduced or slow cognitive processes

Research has shown that children with numerous learning disorders have an elevated prevalence of sleep problems.  For instance, 80% of children with intellectual disabilities suffer from sleep difficulties.  This is evident in the child who watched cartoons between the hours of 7am to 3am daily. Also, a study also revealed that between 25% and 50% of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience problems with sleep. These stats prove that lack of sleep will affect your child’s ability to acquire knowledge and understand things through thought, experience and the senses.

Poor academic performance

Children who sleep little experience difficulty with learning and retention, this results in poor academic performance. Most times, sleep deprived kids doze off during classes and miss out on lessons. On the flip side, children who get quality sleep are more alert, creative, have better problem solving skills, better focus on task and responsibility, energetic, and able to learn and retain new knowledge and much more.

Emotional Problems

A child in sleep debt is prone to anxiety, negative moods, restless and easily stressed not only in childhood but also exhibit such behaviors as adults. A study of 2,706 children published in the April 7 issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicines shows that children who get less sleep than their peers have a higher risk of anxiety, depression and aggressive behavior as adults. Notably, sleep loss can make your child easily angry, frustrated, irritated, sad and in some cases violent when relating with others. Meanwhile, a well rested child is always smiling, happy and full of life.

WHAT'S THE RECOMMENDED SLEEP DURATION FOR CHILDREN

We recommend the following sleep duration for your ward.

Newborns (0-3 months): Sleep duration between 14 and 17 hours each day

Infants (4-11 months): Sleep range is extended from 12 to 15 hours

Toddlers (1-2 years): Sleep range broadened from 11 to 14 hours

Preschoolers (3-5): Sleep range stretched by one hour from 10 to 13 hours

School age children (6-13): Sleep range widened by one hour, 9-11 hours

HOW TO GET YOUR KIDS ON A SLEEP ROUTINE

Having a sleep routine will help your child get quality sleep and live a more healthy life. Here are tips on how to get your child on a sleep routine.

Set a bedtime and wake-up time

Avoid certain meals before bedtime

Make the sleep environment more comfortable

Engage them

Help Alleviate Fears

Turn off screen

Look out for sleep disorder

For more details click:https://www.wincofoam.com/how-to-get-your-kids-on-a-sleep-routine-winco-sleep-clinic/

CONCLUSION

Getting enough sleep will boost a child’s overall wellbeing.  A secret to ensuring your child get to sleep and stay asleep is in creating an enticing sleep schedule that lures your kid to sleep.  Unarguably, there are days your child may sleep earlier or later than the usual time. This may be due to special family outings or events or a new toy. Still, you must ensure not going to bed on time doesn’t become a habit.




RELATED READING

https://www.wincofoam.com/5-common-infant-sleep-mistakes-to-avoid/

https://www.wincofoam.com/5-bedwetting-hacks-to-help-your-kids-have-dry-nights/

https://www.wincofoam.com/should-babies-share-a-bed-with-their-parents-find-out-here/

Nairaland link to our Illustration: https://www.nairaland.com/6303756/3-year-old-son-cant#96871296

SOURCE: https://www.wincofoam.com/blog/