One of the most difficult parts of parenthood can be getting your child to go to bed. The tantrums, pleading, and crying that kids can indulge in to be able to stay up a little later makes it a hard rule to enforce. However, if you are the kind of parent who is strict about making sure that your little bundle of joy goes to bed with the chickens, then take heart: research has shown that most kids do not go to bed at the proper time — and that this can lead to physical and mental/emotional health problems down the road. Writer Melinda Moyer, writing in Slate, discusses why sleep is so important to a child’s development.
The National Sleep Foundation Survey
The National Sleep Foundation is, as the name suggested, dedicated to the study of sleep — and to the health consequences of not getting enough of it. In a recent survey, the foundation discovered some disturbing news about the sleep habits of American children all over the country. What was found was that :
- 50 percent of preschoolers go to sleep after 9 p.m.
- 64 percent of first through fifth grade children do not go to bed until after 9 p.m., either
This is considered by the foundation to be too late a time to go beddy-bye. And a variety of studies have found that getting enough sleep is an important part of raising healthy, happy children.
What the Research Shows
So why is it so important to make sure that your child goes to bed early? A number of studies over the years have looked at different answers to this question and here’s what they found:
- The National Survey mentioned above found that factors like a child falling asleep on his/her own at an early time was associated with better quality of sleep; factors like a parent being present or a child drinking caffeinated beverages or having a television in their room was associated with poor sleep quality.
- Children who have a later bedtime tend to wake up more during the night and are not able to sleep in late enough to make up for this sleep deficit; as a result, they are more likely to be sleep deprived.
- Children who are sleep-deprived are more likely to be overweight or obese than children who get enough rest.
- Teens who are getting enough sleep are less likely to have problems with depression and suicidal ideation.
- School-aged children who had adequate rest as toddlers are less likely to have problems with attention span or aggressive behavior.
In short, sleep deprivation can bring a whole slew of physical and mental/emotional problems for children. That is why the Sleep Foundation recommends that a good sleep routine be as much a part of parenting as diet and exercise in order to promote a child’s health. But how does a parent go about achieving this?
Tips for Helping Your Kids to Sleep Well
If you understanding the importance of giving your child a good night’s sleep, but are not sure how to begin, here are some tips to get you started!
- Make sure that you put your children to bed at the same time each night and get them up at the same time each morning. This will help their bodies to establish a sleep-wake routine.
- Make sure that your child’s room is dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature to make it easier to fall and stay asleep.
- Don’t offer your child any beverages or other foods with caffeine or sugar.
- Do not let your child have a television or other devices in their room; too much screen time has been associated with poor sleep in many studies.
- Train your child to be able to fall asleep on their own, instead of being depending upon you in order to fall asleep.
- Establish a “quiet time” before bed that can involve reading, taking a warm bath, or other relaxing activity in order to wind down.
So the next time your toddler starts to howl about a 7 p.m. bedtime, grit your teeth and enforce the rules you have established for a consistent bedtime. They probably won’t thank you for that right away, but in the long run, it is one of the best things you can do as a parent for the long-term health and wellness of your child.