Are your kids spending enough time in Dreamland? Establish a good sleep routine now to ensure a lifetime of quality shut-eye
Whether you’re dealing with a grumpy toddler, a child who struggles to sleep can affect the mood and energy of everyone in the household. While you might feel like you are the only one up at 3am every night, rocking your baby to sleep, you’re not alone: an estimated 20-30% of infants and toddlers experience sleep issues.
It’s essential to help your children sleep the recommended number of hours per day, as sleep allows the body to repair tissues, produce proteins and release those all-important growth hormones. Among many other benefits, it also helps the brain function well (aiding learning and development) and strengthens the immune system.
But what if your child still does not sleep enough, despite your best efforts? Here’s help.
HOW MUCH SLEEP IS ENOUGH?
The first step is to brush up on how much sleep your child needs. If they’re struggling to fall asleep, they might be at a stage where they need fewer hours of shut-eye in a 24-hour cycle.
The Nemours Foundation in the US recommends the following:
– Babies (0‒3 months): 14 to 17 hours, including naps
– Babies (4‒12 months): 12 to 16 hours, including naps
– Toddlers (1‒2 years): 11 to 14 hours, including naps
– Preschoolers (3‒5 years): 10 to 13 hours, including naps
– School-aged kids (6‒13 years): 9 to 12 hours
– Teenagers (14‒17 years): 8 to 10 hours
Ideally, your kids should meet these sleep recommendations regularly, but every child is different. Some may need more daytime naps, while others require longer night-time sleep.
WHY IS A GOOD SLEEP ROUTINE IMPORTANT?
Children with a good sleep routine tend to take less time falling asleep, sleep longer and wake up less during the night.
The payoffs are also far-reaching. Research shows that a strict sleep routine helps children develop a healthy attitude towards learning, reading and school, and contributes to better social skills and a stronger parent-child relationship. And these benefits carry over into adulthood.
But what if your child still does not sleep enough, despite your best efforts? Here’s help.
A STRICT SLEEP ROUTINE HELPS CHILDREN DEVELOP A HEALTHY ATTITUDE TOWARDS LEARNING, READING AND SCHOOL
The first step is to brush up on how much sleep your child needs. If they’re struggling to fall asleep, they might be at a stage where they need fewer hours of shut-eye in a 24-hour cycle.
The Nemours Foundation in the US recommends the following:
– Babies (0‒3 months): 14 to 17 hours, including naps
– Babies (4‒12 months): 12 to 16 hours, including naps
– Toddlers (1‒2 years): 11 to 14 hours, including naps
– Preschoolers (3‒5 years): 10 to 13 hours, including naps
– School-aged kids (6‒13 years): 9 to 12 hours
– Teenagers (14‒17 years): 8 to 10 hours
Ideally, your kids should meet these sleep recommendations regularly, but every child is different. Some may need more daytime naps, while others require longer night-time sleep.
WHY IS A GOOD SLEEP ROUTINE IMPORTANT?
Children with a good sleep routine tend to take less time falling asleep, sleep longer and wake up less during the night.
The payoffs are also far-reaching. Research shows that a strict sleep routine helps children develop a healthy attitude towards learning, reading and school, and contributes to better social skills and a stronger parent-child relationship. And these benefits carry over into adulthood.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR A RESTFUL SLUMBER
If you think your little one isn’t sleeping enough, consider implementing these parent tested strategies:
KIDS WHO READ BEDTIME STORIES WITH THEIR PARENTS TEND TO FARE BETTER IN LANGUAGE, READING AND SCHOOL READINESS TESTS
– Teach your baby that night-time is different from daytime as early as possible. Open curtains and play games during the day; keep the lights dimmed and household sounds muted at night. Also, don’t play with your little one, unless they need it, close to bedtime.
– Introduce a good bedtime routine when your baby is about three months old. The routine can include bathtime, a nappy and clothing change, singing a lullaby and reading a story. (PS: Kids who read bedtime stories with their parents tend to fare better in language, reading and school readiness tests.)
– Try to identify factors in the household that are interfering with your child’s daytime naps. For example, if your child always wakes up when an older sibling arrives home from school, it could contribute to short sleep. See if you can change the household’s routine slightly.
– Consider sleep training if your baby needs your help falling asleep. This type of training is usually done between four and six months and involves steps such as gradually reducing your presence in the room during bedtime.
Older children:
– Get your kids to start prepping for bedtime at least 30 minutes before it’s time to doze off. This will give their body and mind time to transition from daytime activities to a restful state.
– Keep screens out of the bedroom and switch off all devices (TVs, phones, tablets, video games and computers) well in advance. Electronic devices emit blue light, which is known to disrupt our natural sleep-wake cycle.
– Implement a set bedtime routine, including a quick bath or shower, brushing teeth and reading a book.
– Ensure your child has a consistent weekly sleep routine, including waking up and going to sleep at the same time on weekends. This could improve their overall sleep quality.
– Keep an eye on their mood and behaviour. If they seem happy, rested and engaged despite sleeping fewer hours, they might have low sleep needs.
– If you are concerned about your child’s sleeping patterns, chat to your GP. Alternatively, get in touch with a sleep centre in your area.
Text: Carine Visagie
Photos: Gallo/Getty Images
Photos: Gallo/Getty Images
WHY IS A GOOD SLEEP ROUTINE IMPORTANT?
Reviewed by Amaarah
on
January 01, 2025
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Reviewed by Amaarah
on
January 01, 2025
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