| conducted by the National
Sleep Foundation indicate that a significant number of American
children are not getting the sleep they need. You will know your
children are sleep deprived if they have difficulty waking up on
their own, are cranky in the morning or fall asleep too easily.
Sleep deprived children also have difficulty concentrating and those
prone to hyperactivity can become overly active.
What Prevents Good Sleep Hygiene?
Several factors contribute to our children’s current sleepy
daze. Increasing numbers of after school activities, sports and
social engagements extend a child’s day. Longer travel times
and working parents who are not able to begin dinner or homework
supervision until late also contribute to a longer evening. Also,
hours spent watching television cut into a child’s sleep time.
Children who have televisions in their rooms watch even more TV
and have shorter sleep times. Additionally, children who drink caffeinated
beverages can have trouble winding down and falling asleep. This
is no surprise because caffeine is more slowly metabolized in children,
making kids more sensitive to its effects.
Cultural factors can also play a role in bad sleeping habits. Co-sleeping
arrangements are common in South Asian families. If your child is
accustomed to sleeping with dadi (grandma) or maasi
(auntie), he or she might have difficulty falling asleep when alone.
So decide which arrangements are comfortable for you as a family
and try to be consistent. If you do change routines, expect the
transitions to take some time for adjustment.
How can I Ensure that my Child Gets Enough
Sleep?
To make sure your family gets enough rest, have an established bedtime.
Streamline your activities and have some evening rituals that help
your kids know that bedtime is approaching. Be consistent with your
routines and allow enough time for winding down and spending some
time together. This is when you can reflect on your day and prepare
for upcoming events. Any concerns or worries your kids have may
come out at this time. Also make sure your child’s bedroom
is a cozy sanctuary where he or she feels safe and secure. For this
reason you may want to avoid using the bedroom for punishment, because
if your children dread being there, they might have trouble falling
asleep. Try not to deviate too much from bedtime, even on weekends,
as large changes in a child’s sleep schedule during holidays
can make it hard to fall asleep on school nights.
Sometimes, despite a consistent bedtime routine
and schedule, children still have difficulty falling asleep or experience
disruptions in the quality of their sleep. Sometimes separation
anxiety contributes to children’s inability to let go and
fall asleep. Anxiety, or the effects of traumatic experiences, can
surface as nightmares or nocturnal teeth grinding. Occasionally,
a child may have a biological sleep disorder such as sleepwalking
or night terrors. If your child experiences any of these problems,
be sure to discuss them with your child’s pediatrician. Some
of these symptoms may require further evaluation or treatment.
So, be mindful of how much sleep your children are getting and
the effects of sleep deprivation. By paying attention to your children’s
sleeping hours, you can be sure they will be happy and productive
in their waking ones.
Ranu Boppana, MD is an Adult and Child Psychiatrist in private practice
in New York, NY and a Clinical Instructor at the NYU School of Medicine.
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