The Importance of Sleep

Sleep has a huge impact on children’s health and behavior.  Getting too little sleep can affect the immune system, making kids more likely to get sick.  Lack of sleep can also cause behavior problems such as hyperactivity, irritability, and trouble paying attention.  All of these can have a negative impact on school performance.  In addition, missed sleep adds up over time, so an hour less of sleep every night for a week is like missing an entire night’s worth of sleep! 

How much Sleep Do Kids Need?

School-age kids need 10-12 hours of sleep each night.  Teens need at least nine.  For many kids, bedtime is a struggle.  Between homework, sports and extra-curricular activities, video games, TV, and other electronics, it can be hard to get kids to unwind and settle down to sleep at night.  The following are few tips to make bedtime easier:

1)      Set a consistent bedtime.  Getting to sleep at the same time each night can help establish healthy sleep patterns. 

2)      Have a consistent bedtime routine.  Whether it’s bath time, a bedtime story, or another quiet activity, try to keep the routine consistent so your child can wind down and prepare for sleep.

3)      Turn off all electronics at least one hour before bedtime.  Research shows that screen time interferes with sleep quality, so get in the habit of turning off TV, tablet, computers, and phones

4)      Get Active.  Being active during the day promotes better sleep at night.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends at least one hour of physical activity every day. 

For more information on sleep in children, check out the following article http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/sleep.html#