Una, Himachal Pradesh
#7, Ward 3, Near HP Petrol Pump, Santokhgarh
+91 78765 64629
+91 93176 40062
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+91 78765 64629
Sleep Problems
Sleep problems are common in children and can impact all aspects of a child’s functioning and poor sleep habits. Some problems are a result of the interactions between behaviour, environment, and psychosocial issues.
Common behavioral 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
Primary sleep disorders (such as obstructive sleep apnea) may also result in behavioural issues during the day. 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. Good sleep habits may support children with both sleep quality and quantity.
Recommended sleep for children
A child’s sleep patterns, poor sleep habits and required sleep hours each night may differ based on their stage of development. Some general pediatric sleep guidelines for the amount of sleep needed for children by age range include the following:
- 0 to 3 months of age need 14 to 17 hours
- 4 to 12 months of age need 12 to 16 hours
- 1 to 2 years of age need 11 to 14 hours
- 3 to 5 years of age need 10 to 13 hours
- 6 to 12 years of age need 9 to 12 hours
- 13 to 18 years of age need 8 to 10 hours
- 18 to 25 years of age need 7 to 9 hours
EFFECTS OF SLEEP PROBLEM ON DEVELOPMENT
Sleep impacts every aspect of child development, including learning, processing and remembering information. Insufficient sleep may also make it hard for a child to focus on learning or stay attentive in school. Further, a child’s mood and behaviour are affected by a lack of sleep.
Other areas of development affected by poor sleep include growth (since growth hormone is released during sleep in young children), obesity (lack of sleep can lead to weight gain), and overall health. In particular, not getting enough sleep can weaken a child’s immune system, reducing their ability to fight off colds and stay well.
Effects of sleep on parents
When a child isn’t getting enough sleep, parents often aren’t either. If a child has trouble falling asleep or wakes up early, one or both parents are usually awake too. Sleep loss in parents can impact their daily functioning, including mood, work performance, ability to manage the child’s behaviour, and driving safety.
Family tension can arise if parents disagree on a sleep schedule or how to address a sleep issue. Such conflicts within the family can also affect a child’s sleep habits.
How do you know if your child is getting enough sleep?
There are some simple ways to tell if your child is not getting enough sleep at night:
- Your child is extremely difficult to wake in the morning. Children who get enough quality sleep should wake easily in the morning and should be out of bed within 15 minutes.
- If your child is sleeping two or more hours on weekends/vacations than on school nights, he/she is trying to catch up on lost sleep during the week.
- If your child falls asleep in school or other inappropriate times he/she is not getting enough sleep or quality sleep.
- There are noticeable changes to your child’s behaviour or mood following nights of increased sleep.