Sleep problems are common in children and can impact all aspects of a child’s functioning. Some problems are a result of the interactions between behaviour, environment, and psychosocial issues.
Common behavioural sleep problems include:
- Bedtime fears
- Bedtime resistance/refusal
- Difficulty falling asleep (e.g. taking a long time to fall asleep or can’t fall asleep alone)
- Difficulty waking in the morning
- Insufficient sleep
- Night wakings (frequent and/or prolonged)
- Poor sleep habits
- Sleep-related head banging, body rocking, or body rolling
- Sleep schedule issues
- Sleep terrors
- Sleepwalking
- Undesired co-sleeping or bed-sharing
There are also primary sleep disorders (e.g., obstructive sleep apnea) that can lead to daytime behavioural problems. Sleep problems and/or sleep disorders may result in daytime sleepiness, behaviour problems (e.g., hyperactivity, inattention) or irritability. It is important for children to not only have good quality sleep but to get enough sleep every night. Healthy sleep habits can help children with both sleep quantity and sleep quality.