Posted on 08/08/2023
A well-rested child absorbs everything that is going on around her and interacts with others with ease. Late or inconsistent bedtimes, early mornings, and over-scheduled days can all contribute to your child's inability to get enough sleep. Your child will suffer both immediate and long-term implications if she does not receive enough healthful sleep on a regular basis.
Sleep Deprivation's Short-Term Effects
If you have a child who gets enough healthy sleep on a regular basis, you know how much of a difference a change in schedule, a missed nap, or a disrupted night's sleep can make. A typically obedient child can become belligerent, defying or ignoring every command. A normally cheerful child can become irritable and demanding. A normally outgoing, gregarious child may develop into a "hermit," unwilling to connect with others. A normally good student may fail to focus on the day's studies at school, resulting in lower-than-average grades that day. With the short-term effects of sleep deprivation being so distressing, you can expect the long-term effects of a consistent lack of good sleep to have an ongoing negative impact on a child.
Sleep Deprivation's Long-Term Effects
In the midst of the dispute over cause and effect, studies have observed that children with higher IQs tend to sleep longer. Sleep improves brain development and aids in the prevention and treatment of a wide range of learning and behavioral issues, including ADHD. Indeed, ADHD is frequently diagnosed solely on the basis of symptoms, many of which are similar to those of sleep deprivation, making better sleep a key element in lowering symptoms. When adequate sleep is paired with other natural therapies, such as a balanced diet and physical activity, persons diagnosed with ADHD can sometimes operate optimally, even without the use of medication. Those with ADHD who are not treated are less likely to succeed in school or receive the academic background needed for successful professions after high school. According to several researchers, the amount of quality sleep that children experience on a daily basis throughout their toddler years has a direct impact on their neurological development throughout childhood.
What Parents Can Do To Help Their Children Avoid Sleep Deprivation
Careful and focused direction is essential in all aspects of parenting. Parents of small children, in particular, can aid their children by insisting on naps and nighttime sleep before they exhibit signs of exhaustion. Resistance will be significantly less if this pattern is formed early on during a child's younger years than if it is attempted later. Parents can use the rhythms of before-nap and bedtime rituals to encourage restfulness. Many of these rituals include singing, storytelling, and displays of love & affection. They should start at least 20 minutes before bedtime and provide a low-key, technology-free wind-down period. Because light-emitting devices can interfere with our circadian rhythms, making our brains think it's time to wake up in the morning when it's actually time for bed, unplugging from technology as night approaches is especially important; it's wise to keep children away from any type of screens (phones, tablets & even televisions) for the 2 hour period before they go to bed. Eliminating caffeine and sugars in the evening, as well as maintaining a clutter-free, safe atmosphere conducive to sleep, are all important elements in encouraging healthy sleep.
Continue reading with Part 3 in our series.
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