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According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children need at least nine hours of restful sleep each night. Whether because of restlessness, schedules, or illness, many young children do not get adequate amounts of sleep each night. Numerous studies have focused on the impact sleep has on elementary and high school children’s ability to learn. But researchers are now realizing the importance of children as young as two years old receiving the proper amount of sleep.
Learning Impaired By A Lack Of Sleep In Children As Young As Two
In a British study of 1,500 children ages two to five, more than seventy-five percent expressed feelings of, or demonstrated signs of, lethargy, exhaustion, and sleep deprivation. “There is evidence that grogginess affects a child’s ability to refine gross and fine motor skills and his or her capacity to learn,” says pediatrician and mother Dr. V. Nikole Peterson, M.D. of Chicago, Illinois.
Children who do not get enough rest have difficulty focusing and concentrating. “They may not have the mental reserves for imaginative play or the stamina to run and play with peers,” notes Peterson.
In addition to nurturing the vital lifelong skills a growing toddler needs, good sleep habits and proper rest will be beneficial as your child matures. An independent study conducted by graduate students from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, studied the sleep habits of 167 Black second, third and fourth grade students.
Surprisingly, forty-eight percent of the children had sleep difficulties that lasted more than six months. The majority who reported sleep difficulties also expressed the inability to relax, feel calm, or fall asleep. “Most children with sleep difficulties also noted having irregular eating habits and inconsistent schedules,” details Lead Researcher Lorelei Turner. Those with the sleep difficulties were also more likely to have failed at least one year of school versus those without sleep difficulties.
Lifestyle Changes May Help A Child Sleep Better
Restlessness at night can be alleviated by simple lifestyle adjustments such as taking a soothing bath every night or eating dinner earlier to allow a child proper time to digest a meal and prevent irritating nighttime stomach aches.
Creating a calm environment at least one hour before bedtime is also helpful, as this gives your child the chance to begin to mentally unwind and thus fall asleep quicker at bedtime. “Reducing the fluids a child consumes later in the evening lessens sleep disruption during the night, while limiting sugar and caffeine intake helps to promote mental and physical calmness and a restful sleep,” adds Dr. Peterson.
Perhaps the most startling finding concerning childhood sleep deprivation is that a growing number of toddlers and elementary school children snore at night and awaken themselves, and as a result hamper their ability to think and learn. “These children, whose airways are obstructed at night, may have problems with attention, psychological test results, or grades in school,” notes Dr. Peterson. A visit to your pediatrician’s office can help diagnose a medical condition that may be affecting your child’s ability to sleep soundly.
| You Should Know: In a DePaul University study, Black second, third and fourth graders who failed a grade were more likely to have experienced sleep deprivation. |
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