Why sleep is important for children?

From the day 1 of my delivery, I noticed that my baby doesn’t sleep much neither in night nor in the day. He takes few minutes nap and feels so fresh. Due to lack of sleep, he sometimes becomes cranky and doesn’t show much interest in playing, eating etc.

A day without a nap for a baby is like a cupcake without frosting.

“Sleep is the power source that keeps your mind alert and calm,” says Dr. Marc Weissbluth, sleep expert and author, in his book “Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.”

“Every night and at every nap, sleep recharges the brain’s battery. Sleeping well increases brainpower, just as weight lifting builds stronger muscles…” 

Sleep is as important to good health as diet and exercise. Toddlers who don’t get enough sleep or experience interrupted sleep can be moody, irritable, fidgety and hyperactive. They can be argumentative, have more difficulty concentrating during playtime and are generally more prone to accidents.  

Recommended amount of sleep for children:

• Infants under 1 year: 12-16 hours
• Children 1-2 years old: 11-14 hours
• Children 3-5 years old: 10-13 hours
• Children 6-12 years old: 9-12 hours
• Teenagers 13-18 years old: 8-10 hours

WHY SLEEP IS IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN?

It has been estimated that between 20-30% of children experience sleep problems during the first three years of life. For parents, this poses a major concern as poor sleep, in turn, disrupts their sleep and adversely affects their mood.

Giving advices to the parents on how to improve their baby’s sleep has significant advantages beyond merely reducing sleep disturbance for parent and baby, as sleep plays an important role in their child’s all aspects of development i.e, cognitive, social, emotional and behavioural development.

Sleep directly impacts their mental and physical development. While asleep, children are able to make sense of their day, as well as lock in new skills and memories. Rested children are found to be more alert and happier, they are also able to concentrate better and are found to be more even tempered than a sleep deprived child. Children who are well rested also have strong immune systems compared to their peers who are not getting enough sleep.

Pituitary gland produces an important hormone while sleeping called Growth hormone. It is responsible for vital biological events occurring in in muscles, blood, bones etc. Adults are tend to produce this hormone throughout the day but the child can produce Growth hormone only when they fall asleep very deeply. Research shows that if a child doesn’t get the right amount and right quality of sleep, growth can be greatly affected, slowed or stunned. This doesn’t only affect a child’s height but can affect a child’s heart and lung strength as well as his immune system.

Lack of sleep is directly proportional to childhood obesity. Hunger hormone (ghrelin) is produced by stomach. This hormone gives the indications when to eat and when not to. If the child is sleep deprived then this hormone will not be as effective and children will tend to overeating and will crave for higher calorie carbohydrates.

Summary: Along with nutrition and exercise, good sleep is one of the pillars of health.

Your child simply cannot achieve optimal health without proper sleep.