The Importance of Sleep
Did
you know that sleep can affect…
Cognitive
Ability
Sleep
deprivation can affect a child’s ability to learn. Skills that are needed in
school, such as attention, memory, and decision-making, can all be diminished
due to inadequate sleep.
Immunity
The
better rested your child is and the more sleep they get, the stronger their
immune system will be to fight off illness that spread across the classrooms
during the school year.
Mood
If
your child has a hard time getting out of bed and appears grouchy in the
morning they might need more sleep.
Tips
to Getting Enough Sleep
Consistent Time
Go to
sleep and wake up at the same time every day. Even on weekends, try not to stray more than an hour or so
from bedtime.
Newborns
(up to three months): 14 to 17 hours
Infants
(four to 11 months): 12 to 15 hours
Toddlers
(one to two): 11 to 14 hours
Preschoolers
(three to five): 10 to 13 hours
School-age
(six to 13): 9 to 11 hours
Tweens
and Teens (14 to 17): 8 to 10 hours
Have a Bedtime Routine
Implement
a consistent bedtime routine, with enough time for it to be a relaxed
experience. A bedtime routine of similar activities each night sends cues to
your child’s brain that it’s almost time to sleep, which triggers the release
of the natural “sleep hormone” melatonin.
Encourage
Quiet Activities
Start
winding down an hour before bed. Stimulating activities such as TV, computer games, and Internet usage can make it hard for children to calm
down before bed, and can cause sleep problems.
Tip: Give your child a 10-15 minute warning before getting
ready for bed, so they are prepared and know what to expect.
Sleep.org
