The Importance of Sleep for Kids

Sleep is fundamental to a child’s health and well-being. Unfortunately, there are more obstacles than ever standing between children and their ability to get a good night’s sleep. Parents and caregivers can play an important part in helping their kids establish and maintain healthy sleep habits. But to do that, they must first understand the importance of quality sleep.

Why Is a Good Night’s Rest Important for Kids?

A night of restful sleep is crucial for kids because it affects their physical and mental development. The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) has found that approximately 6 in 10 middle school students and 7 in 10 high school students do not get enough sleep.

This is a problem, as children’s minds and bodies are still in the process of growing and developing and sleep plays an important role in both. Quality sleep also helps to improve memory, attention span, and cognitive function, which is essential to their ability to learn. Additionally, getting the right amount of sleep helps to regulate mood and behavior in children.

What Is the Recommended Amount of Sleep a Child Should Get Based on Their Age?

The amount of sleep that a child needs for proper growth and development varies depending on their age, with younger children needing more sleep than older kids.

In the first year of life, infants can require up to 17 hours of sleep, including nap time, per day. Toddlers between the ages of 1 and 2 need between 11 to 14 hours of sleep per day. Children who are 3 to 5 years old require around 10 to 13 hours of sleep, which should also include naps.

When children reach school age, 6 to 12 years old, they no longer need to take naps and should ideally get 9 to 12 hours of sleep daily. For teens, 8 to 10 hours of sleep is ideal.

What Happens When Children Don’t Get Enough Sleep?

When children don’t get enough sleep, it can have a significant and negative impact on their physical and mental well-being. A child who doesn’t sleep well may experience daytime fatigue, irritability, and mood swings that can lead to tantrums or other problematic behavior, such as hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and even aggression.

Insufficient sleep may also cause problems with their performance at school, as a lack of sleep will often make it difficult to concentrate and retain information.

A lack of sleep can also affect the immune system. Kids who get inadequate sleep are more susceptible to illnesses, including obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Some may even experience depression and anxiety.

What Are the Most Common Sleep Disorders in Children, and How Are They Treated?

Sleep disorders that most frequently impact children include obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), insomnia, restless leg syndrome (RLS), night terrors, and narcolepsy.

One of the most common sleep disorders in children is obstructive sleep apnea. With OSA, breathing is obstructed and repeatedly interrupted during sleep. This can happen because of excessive body weight, a blockage of the airway because of large tonsils and adenoids, or issues with muscle tone in the throat.

Kids with Down syndrome, asthma, or allergies may also develop OSA. Parents who observe their child snoring loudly, gasping while asleep, tossing and turning, or waking frequently should contact their pediatrician to discuss and evaluate these symptoms.

In the event of an OSA diagnosis, the doctor may start treatment that includes continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. This type of therapy involves a mask worn over the nose and mouth during sleep to help keep the child’s airway open.

Another very common sleep disorder is insomnia. Children with insomnia have trouble falling or staying asleep. Often, issues such as anxiety or stress and difficulty sleeping without a favorite item may result in insomnia.

Certain conditions, such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), may also cause insomnia. Treatment typically involves improving sleep habits and teaching kids techniques that can help them calm down before bed.

Kids who suffer from restless leg syndrome, or RLS, feel the urge to move their legs constantly, which makes it difficult for them to fall asleep. A lack of iron or low dopamine levels may cause this condition in some. RLS may also run in some families. Medication is often used to treat this condition.

Children who wake up in extreme fear at night may suffer from night terrors. Night terrors may cause kids to wake from sleep screaming and have difficulty calming down. They may be difficult to wake, and they may seem confused and unable to remember the nightmare once they do awaken.

As a lack of sleep is often the cause, medication is unnecessary. To help kids with night terrors, parents should ensure that their children are getting the proper amount of sleep. If the night terrors continue, discuss the need for a psychological evaluation with the child’s doctor.

When kids experience excessive sleepiness during daytime hours, they may have narcolepsy. Besides daytime sleepiness, children with narcolepsy may have times when they suddenly need to sleep. Hallucinations and a brief yet sudden loss of muscle control when experiencing extreme emotions can also be signs that a child may be narcoleptic. Some may even experience paralysis before falling asleep.

Treatment for narcolepsy may involve medications to regulate sleep and wakefulness. Treatment often also includes changing behaviors that can interfere with sleep, such as avoiding caffeine several hours before bedtime or taking brief naps when tired.

What Can Parents Do to Help Ensure That Their Children Get a Good Night’s Sleep?

It is the parent’s job to ensure that their children can get a good night’s sleep. One way to do that is to ensure that their children are not hungry when they go to bed.

Feeding a child a well-balanced meal plays an important role in good sleep, but certain foods can cause hunger later in the evening or make kids too hyper to sleep. Ideally, dinner should exclude foods that are fatty or high in sugar. Parents should also avoid giving their kids late-night snacks.

Creating the right atmosphere to help kids relax is also important. The best environment for sleep is one that is darkened and free of disruptive light, like the light that comes from televisions, smartphones, or other blue-light-emitting devices.

Because these devices can interfere with a child’s ability to sleep, parents should cut off access to them no later than one to two hours before bedtime. Parents should also stop any highly active or stimulating play before bedtime.

Instead, encourage kids to do quieter, more relaxing activities, such as reading a book, playing with a puzzle, listening to soft music, or taking a soothing bath. Ideally, children should have at least 30 minutes to wind down with these relaxing activities before going to bed.

Sleep Hygiene Tips to Promote a Restful Slumber

An important part of establishing good sleep hygiene is to create and stick with a sleep schedule.

This schedule should be one that children follow every day, regardless of whether it is a weekend or a holiday. Besides sticking with a specific time for sleep, kids should also be consistent in doing any pre-bedtime activities that help them settle down at night.

Establishing the bedroom as a quiet place for sleeping only is also helpful. By doing playtime, homework, and other activities away from the bedroom, children will learn to associate this space with sleep, which can make it easier for them to fall asleep there when the time comes.

Parents should also keep an eye on how frequently older kids are taking naps during the day or early evening. While napping is important for infants and younger children, it can make older children less tired at night and make it difficult for them to sleep when they should.

About Derek Hales

Derek Hales is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of NapLab.com. He has been featured in Fast Company, Reader's Digest, Business Insider, Realtor.com, Huffington Post, Washington Post, AskMen, and She Knows. Derek has personally tested over 320+ mattresses and hundreds of pillows, sheets, beds, and other sleep products.