Why Sleep Is So Important To Your Childs Good Health
As adults, we love to sleep. Taking naps is one of our favorite activities. But for many children, this is not the case. Generally, children enjoy fighting sleep as much as possible. Despite the fighting and the screaming, it is important for a child to get their daily requirement of sleep. Obviously, this is easier said than done. But without the proper amount of sleep, a child can suffer some serious health problems.
How much sleep does a child need? Because your child can function on six or seven hours of sleep, does that mean that he is getting enough? It is critical to know that all kids are unique people, and what is the needed quantity of sleep for your kids might be totally different from the appropriate amount of sleep for your friends child.
Babies need significant amounts of sleep, because their bodies are growing and changing at an enormously rapid pace. Generally, during the first six months of life babies will average around ten hours of sleep a night, along with an average of five hours of naps during the day. While these are long periods of sleep, they will include many interruptions for feedings. It is important for parents to feed their babies during the night, as their tiny tummies cannot hold enough food to allow them to sleep through the entire night. At around six months of age they should be encouraged to sleep through the night, because uninterrupted sleep is crucial for a baby's proper development. At this age naps often are reduced to around three hours. The best way to teach your baby to sleep through the night is to avoid getting them out of bed when they do awaken. Teach your baby to put himself back to sleep without needing you.
Toddlers typically sleep between ten and thirteen hours each night. This also should be uninterrupted sleep, but since this is the time when babies start to actively dream, you can expect to have a dream or two that wakes up your child. It is a good idea to hold and comfort your child after a scary dream. This is also the time when many children drop their afternoon naps. If your child stops showing signs of needing a nap, it is fine for them to drop their nap routine. As your child begins the preschool years, they will still need around ten hours of sleep each night.
But these times are just general rules for children's sleep needs. The best way to ensure that your child is getting enough sleep is to watch his or her signals. You, as a parent, know what signals your child shows when sleepy. Once you start to notice a particular time in the day when your child begins to show signs that she is sleepy, establish this as her bedtime. While you do not have to stop your life for a bedtime schedule, it is important to stick to the bedtime as much as possible. As your child learns to consistently go to sleep at the same time every day, she will begin to develop good, healthy sleeping patterns. The best way to encourage the reluctant child to head to bed is to establish a routine that you go through every day when it is bedtime. This helps the child to wind down and relax after a busy, fun-filled day.
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