Wake up to kids' need for a good night's sleep
Sound familiar? Just as you face sleep deprivation, your children struggle to stay
awake, too - often at school. A National Sleep Foundation (NSF) survey found 60
percent of children under age 18 complained of being tired during the day in the
past year. Fifteen percent admitted falling asleep in school.
Why adequate sleep is vital
"We know that mood is affected when children don't get enough sleep," says Judith
Owens, M.D., director of the Pediatric Sleep Disorders Clinic at Hasbro Children's
Hospital in Providence, R.I. "Children become irritable, cranky and easily frustrated,
and they may show signs of depression and anxiety." What's more, she says, "Kids
can become hyperactive, aggressive and impulsive and may experience academic problems."
Children of different ages have different sleep needs. The average 5- to 12-year-old
needs 10 hours sleep, the NSF says. Teens should get 8-1/2 to 9-1/4 hours.
In the teen years, a child's internal clock resets itself. That creates a biological
desire to stay up later and sleep later.
"All children, no matter what age, should have a set bedtime," says Jodi Mindell,
Ph.D., associate director of the Sleep Disorders Center at The Children's Hospital
of Philadelphia.
Even among otherwise careful parents, Dr. Owens says, "getting enough sleep is often
overlooked."
Other tips to help your child get a good night's rest include:
• Keep kids away from caffeine, including colas and other caffeinated drinks.
• Maintain the same sleep schedule on weekends as on weekdays.
• Make sure kids spend time outdoors daily.
• Get children to engage in regular exercise.
• Don't let them watch television right before bedtime.
• Establish a bedtime routine that includes a wind-down period.
• If your child takes medication, consider the effects of that medication on sleep.
Some medications should be taken earlier in the day.