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Everyone knows that sleep is important for a child, but why? During sleep, a maximum surge of the so-called growth hormone - somatotropin - occurs in the blood. It stimulates bone growth and internal organ development in children and adolescents. Another interesting fact is that children who sleep longer learn better and maintain concentration, according to one of the international studies. It is during sleep that new synapses (connections) of the brain are formed.
Yes, sleep is really important. Then what to do if the baby has trouble falling asleep and sleeps little? Many parents switch to a “free” sleep mode: the child goes to bed when he wants. But experts say that healthy sleep is a system with its own rituals. In this article we will look at what number of hours is optimal for children of different ages, as well as how to improve the quality of your baby's sleep.
How much sleep do children need at different ages?
Let's start with the fact that children usually need a long time for the body to set up a “continuous sleep mode.” Babies find it difficult to stay awake for long periods of time, and in the first months of life they cannot distinguish night from day. Therefore, babies sleep in short intervals - up to two to three hours of sleep, then wakefulness - regardless of the time of day. This is certainly difficult for parents, but gradually the rhythms will change.
- So, babies in the first weeks of life need a lot of sleep: from 16 to 19 hours a day. By the end of the first month, the number of hours decreases to 15-17. The baby still sleeps in intervals, but by two months the longest can be distinguished among them.
- Gradually, the duration of wakefulness increases, as does the time of continuous sleep. So, already at four months the child can sleep 10-11 hours at night with awakenings for feeding. In total, at this age, a baby should normally sleep 14-17 hours.
- A six-month-old child sleeps 13-16 hours a day, about 10-12 hours at night. Having reached one year, the child normally sleeps 13-14 hours, 10-12 hours at night. The amount of daytime sleep is reduced to 1-2 times.
- Children from one year to 1.5 years need to sleep on average 12-14 hours, of which 10-12 at night.
- A child between two and three years old11-13 hours of sleep is enough. Most of this time occurs at night, while during the day a child’s sleep should normally last 1-2.5 hours.
- Childrenfrom 4 to 7 years oldstill need a lot of sleep. Moreover, doctors advise leaving the habit of sleeping during the day for as long as possible. Therefore, a child at this age needs to sleep 1-2 hours after lunch, and in total - about 10-12 hours a day.
- Usually at 7-10 yearsa child begins to go to school, and this is an additional and quite heavy load on the nervous system. Therefore, to fully restore the body, you will need about 10-11 hours of sleep per day. Children from 10 to 12 years oldslightly less - already about 9-11 hours of sleep.
- By adolescence, sleep norms are already as close as possible to the norm of adults. So, for children from 12 to 14 years old, 9-10 hours of sleep is enough, and for teenagers 14-17 years old - 8-10 hours.
How to improve children's sleep?
Often parents are faced with the fact that falling asleep becomes a real problem. Some people are worried about children waking up at an age when their sleep and wakefulness patterns should have already been adjusted. As a result, the child may not get enough of the required daily sleep requirement.
You can also understand that a child has a lack of sleep by these signs:
- The child is more often capricious and cries.
- He sleeps at a time when he is usually awake: on the road, in the clinic, and so on.
- Can’t fall asleep for a long time, falls asleep with tears.
- I began to get sick more often.
So what to do if your child does encounter this problem? Experts believe that falling asleep is a habit. This means it can be produced. Here are some simple tips:
1. We care about safety
It is believed that three basic conditions ensure a child’s safety while sleeping. Firstly, it is better for the child to sleep alone. Secondly, the safest sleeping position is considered to be one in which the baby lies on his back. Thirdly, the child should sleep in a crib with hard sides that will definitely prevent him from falling out.
2. Laying down a child who has not yet fallen asleep
To help your child develop the habit of falling asleep alone, do not put him or her to bed already asleep. The best time to put your baby to bed is when he falls asleep but is not asleep. This way he gets used to falling asleep alone. This useful habit will also help during night awakenings: having woken up at night (not because of discomfort or desire to eat), the child will be able to fall asleep on his own.
3. Keeping the regime
It is important that your waking and sleeping patterns are balanced and coincide with the time of day. When a child goes to sleep and wakes up is up to the parents to decide, based on the baby’s age and family habits. And when the regime is determined, it is necessary to follow it day after day.
4. Sleep rituals
To comply with the regime, the child needs special rituals. Start them as you fall asleep - for example, stroking your baby before putting him to bed. After some time, the baby’s brain will begin to pick up this signal and gradually prepare for sleep.
5. Comfortable sleeping conditions
In addition to safety, make sure that your child is comfortable in the room in which he sleeps. So, it is better for babies to sleep in the same room with their parents. The light should be dimmed, and the room temperature should be slightly lower than daytime.
A child’s healthy sleep not only benefits the baby, but also relieves his parents from many difficulties. Therefore, it is worth following some useful habits and taking care of the child’s comfort while sleeping, trusting proven means.