Is Your Child Getting Enough Zzzs?

     As the days get shorter and holiday excitement approaches, a bit of stress may begin to plague bedtime. Parents can waylay this and provide a smooth transition by following a few simple guidelines. Adjust and modify these tips to individual children, as you know what they respond to best!

     Attempt to set an individualized bedtime. Children vary a lot in their sleep needs and patterns, and most children have patterns that don’t change much—no matter what you do.

Early risers will still rise early even if you put them to bed later, and night owls won’t fall asleep until their bodies are ready.

     Create a wake-up routine as soon as your children understand what they need to do to get ready for preschool. Be consistent. Letting children sleep too much later on weekends may seem fun, but it can backfire in the long run. Those extra hours of sleep can make it hard for their bodies to feel tired at bedtime. Keep bedtime and rising time within an hour or so each day.

     By the same token, begin setting a bedtime routine when your child is a baby. Pediatricians recommend that after dinner, the rest of the evening should include light playtime, bath, brushing teeth, a bedtime story, then bed. Find things that are comforting and relaxing to your child, such as turning on a soft nightlight or singing a song. When kids expect this atmosphere, those little bodies start to become sleepy on cue.

     Turn off those screens a minimum of two hours before bedtime! Research has shown that blue light from a TV screen, phone or computer monitor may interfere with the production of natural melatonin. These activities can keep your child up an extra 30 to 60 minutes, according to one study. And don’t carry your own phone into your child’s bedroom. Allowing the brain to rest encourages zzz’s.

     Just as we know we should calm down and not bring up serious subjects or worries at bedtime, the same goes for your children. The stress hormone cortisol interferes with sleep.  Also, soft sheets, room darkening shades and quiet help your child realize it’s night, not day. Try a white noise machine to fill the bedroom with the sound of ocean waves, birds or crickets.

     Try regulating the temperature to a little cooler setting. Not only does light affect sleep, being too hot or too cold can as well. Psychologists and sleep specialists recommend dressing your child in breathable cotton pjs and keeping the bedroom temperature between 65 and 70 degrees at night.

     Ghosts and other scary creatures may not actually hide in the closet and under the bed at night, but instead of dismissing bedtime fears, talk about them with your child. If simple reassurance doesn’t work, try using a special toy to stand guard at night, or spray the room with “monster spray” before bedtime. Then schedule a time during the day to discuss any fears, avoiding bedtime for these conversations. Smart little ones will learn they can stall bedtime by bringing up monsters or fears at night.

     Kids can have trouble shutting their brains off for the night. Instead of increasing anxiety by insisting that it’s time to go to bed now, consider focusing more on relaxation and keeping your children calm. Deep breathing calms the body.  A good technique is to breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold for five seconds, then exhale through your mouth for six seconds. Little ones can just simply look into your eyes, take a deep breath, then blow out.

     Sleep disorders are uncommon, but if all your bedtime planning and ideas are not working, talk to your pediatrician. If your little one consistently struggles to fall asleep, has persistent nightmares, snores or breathes with the mouth open, a sleep disorder could be to blame. Sometimes a sleep consultant can have successful suggestions, so your entire family can get a good night’s sleep!

     When you lay a nice groundwork, your children will have good habits to make bedtime pleasant—and that can last their entire lives.

How much sleep do healthy humans need?

Many of us experience some sort of sleep disruption, especially lately, and seeing what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends is interesting.

Newborn, 0-3 months: A good parameter is 14 to 17 hours a day.

• Infant, 4-12 months: Including naps, 12 to 16 hours per 24 hours.
• Toddler, 1-2 years: Also including naps, 11 to 14 hours per 24 hours.
• Preschool, 3-5 years: Naps and sleep adding up to 10-13 hours per 24 hours.
• School-age, 6-12 years: A goal is 9 to 12 hours per 24 hours.
• Teen, 13-18 years: Try for eight to 10 hours per 24 hours.
• And you, the adult parent: At least seven hours per night.

Sources: Healthline.com, CDC.gov