Getting enough sleep is important for a young child for many reasons, such as restoring energy, creating brain connections, and giving the mother and father a necessary break. But science shows that sleep also fuels physical growth.
Growth hormone in infants is released throughout the day. But for children, the most intense oscillation period is shortly after the onset of deep sleep. For this reason, your child’s height may also be affected by lack of sleep. Some children don’t naturally produce enough growth hormone, and lack of sleep makes the problem worse. It can affect immune system function and cause a condition known as growth hormone deficiency.
Children who do not get enough sleep also show changes in the levels of hormones circulating in their bodies. Hormones that regulate hunger and appetite can be affected, causing the child to prefer excessively calorie carbohydrates. Moreover, lack of sleep can affect the way the body metabolizes and digests these foods.
Lack of sleep at night can also affect motor skills and concentration throughout the day, resulting in more accidents and behavior problems and poor performance at school.
How much sleep do they need?
• Newborn: 16-20 hours a day
• 2 Months: 15-16 hours per day
• 4 Months: 9-12 hours and 2 short sleeps
• 6 Months: 11 hours and 2 short sleeps
• 9 Months: 11-12 hours and 2 short sleeps
• 1 Year: 10-11 hours and 2 short sleeps
Get a good night’s sleep.
Signs that your child is not getting enough rest include day-to-day moodiness or lethargy, difficulty concentrating, crying out of the blue, and difficulty waking up in the morning.
In order for your child to get enough sleep:
• Establish a consistent bedtime.
• Establish a good bedtime routine that informs your child that it’s time to return to his or her body. This may include giving a bath or snack, reading a story before going to bed, singing softly while talking to or calling out to her.
• Make sure your child’s room is suitable for sleeping. It must be dark and quiet.
• Do not keep your television and computer in your child’s room.
• Avoid encouraging activity before bedtime.
• Use the same calendar and routines for bedtime on weekends and holidays you follow throughout the week. Once upon a time, a variation does not cause long-term disruptions, but irregular bedtimes can cause poor sleep habits and sleep deprivation.