Tips for Successful Sleep
While it’s a well-known fact that adequate sleep is essential for a child’s growth and development, approximately 15-25% of children do not get enough sleep (Bathory & Tomopoulos, 2017). These numbers are alarming as inadequate sleep may lead to decreased attention and focus, poor emotional and behavioral regulation, decreased immune system function, difficulties with learning and memory retention, and even delayed motor development.
Recommended Hours of Sleep (Paruthi et al., 2016)
Not only is the quality of sleep important, but so is the quantity of sleep! Long periods of deep, restful sleep are crucial for the body to produce and release nerve growth factor, which supports overall growth and brain development. The amount of sleep children need depends on their age. Parents may be surprised to see that the traditional sleep recommendations (ie: 8-10 hours) doesn’t typically begin until adolescence.
Newborn (0-3 months): 14-17 hours per 24 hours
Infant (4-12 months): 12-16 hours per 24 hours including naps
Toddler (1-2 years): 11-14 hours per 24 hours including naps
Preschool (3-5 years): 10-13 hours per 24 hours including naps
School Age (6-12 years): 9-12 hours per 24 hours
Adolescent (13-18 years): 8-10 hours per 24 hours
Adult (18 years+): 7 or more hours per 24 hours
Tips for Improved Sleep
Fortunately, there are various behavioral and physical changes that can be implemented to a child’s daily routine that can positively impact sleep!
1). Establish and follow a consistent bedtime routine. A predictable and consistent bedtime routine is the most foundational tip for improved sleep hygiene. These predictable routines will help to physically, mentally, and emotionally signal the child that it is time for bed. Specific tips for bedtime routines include:
- Setting bed times at night and wake times in the morning. This is a crucial step in which children are receiving consistent amounts of sleep each night. Try to maintain these same schedules even on weekends and summer times.
- Have your child fall asleep in their bed as opposed to letting them fall asleep in other locations, including the couch, parents’ bedroom, sibling’s bedroom, etc.
- Consider the use of a visual schedule for bedtime routines. This will help to signal the sequence of events (ie: brush teeth, change into PJs, etc.) that are included in your child’s routine. Having this predictable routine will help to decrease any potential anxiety or worries with bedtime expectations and may be helpful for increasing your child’s independence and self-care skills.
2). Limit screen time in the evening. Blue light filters found on electronic devices, including cell phones, tablets, and even television screens, suppress the release of melatonin, which is a hormone that promotes sleep. Electronics should be avoided up to 1 hour before bed.
3). Complete various heavy work activities before bedtime. Heavy work activities, such as animal walks, wheelbarrow walks, yoga, etc., can be helpful for creating grounding and calming effects in our body, which will help your child initiate and maintain sleep more efficiently.
4). If possible, decrease and/or limit naps during the day. Allowing your child to nap during the day will create more difficulties for initiation of sleep at night, which further reinforces the child’s difficulty with sleep. If you child does fall asleep during the day, reinforce a consistent bedtime at night even if they insist that they are not “tired.”
5). Consider various sensory strategies for improved sleep. There are various sensory strategies that can be used to help initiate and maintain sleep. However, each child is different so these strategies might not be relevant to everyone.
- Touch (tactile) strategies: Consider textures of pajamas, sheets, and other bedding items for children who may have tactile hypersensitivities. It may be helpful to include the child in decisions about textures and types of clothing and bedding in order to improve their comfort while sleeping.
- Smell (olfactory) strategies: Consider the use of calming scents, such as lavender, rosemary, and/or sage, that may provide various calming and grounding effects. For those children who are more sensitive to smells, consider the use of non-scented laundry detergent for pajamas and bedding.
- Hearing (auditory): Consider the use of lullabies, singing and songs, or even a white noise machine for grounding and calming benefits before bed.
- Heavy work (proprioception): As mentioned above, heavy work can be helpful for its grounding and calming effects on the body. Examples may include a weighted blanket or massages before bedtime.
- Vision (sight): Consider a dark room, including blacked out curtains, as this will help to further support release of melatonin, a sleep hormone that promotes sleep.
6). Avoid certain foods and drinks before bed, including caffeine, sugary, and processed foods before bed. This will increase the child’s energy level, which will make it more difficult for them to fall asleep. If your child is hungry and/or thirsty, consider a healthy snack and water before bed.
Concerns About Sleep
If your child is having difficulties with sleep, please reach out to us here at ProActive Pediatric Therapy to learn more about our services and how we can help your child thrive!
Bathory, E., & Tomopoulos, S. (2017). Sleep Regulation, Physiology and Development, Sleep Duration and Patterns, and Sleep Hygiene in Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children. Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, 47(2), 29–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cppeds.2016.12.001
Paruthi, S., Brooks, L.J., D’Ambrosio, C, Hall, W.A., Kotagal, S., Lloyd, R.M., & et al. (2016). Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: a consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. J Clin Sleep Med, 12(6):785–786.