Everybody needs a good night's sleep. For your child, a hearty night's sleep is as important as a good breakfast. That's because when children don't get enough sleep, they can have problems with their mental, emotional and physical health.
Ages
Newborns typically sleep between 10.5 and 18 hours per day, according to the Sleep Foundation. Their cycle depends solely on their need to be fed, changed and nurtured. Infants, or 3 to 11 months old, need about nine to 12 hours of sleep per night and should nap for about two hours per day, at least. Toddlers should get between 12 and 14 hours per 24-hour period, says the Sleep Foundation. Preschoolers should have about 11 to 13 hours per night, and school-aged children should get around 10 to 11 hours per night.
Theories/Speculation
Infants who have a secure attachment to their caregivers will have less sleep problems, and vice versa, according to the Sleep Foundation website. The Sleep Foundation also points out that watching television before bed has been linked to bedtime resistance and anxiety in school-age children.
Sleep Disruptions
Sleep Foundation points out that social and developmental issues, as well as illness and the development of motor skills can disrupt sleep in infants. Toddlers and preschoolers experience sleep disruptions many times because they just simply don't want to go to bed, and also can experience sleep issues due to nightmares or nighttime fears, along with a drive to be independent. For school-age children, sleep disruptions can occur due to their increased interest in television, computers and video games, as well as consuming caffeine.
Sleep Tips
For infants, the Sleep Foundation recommends creating a routine or schedule for daytime and bedtime. For bedtime, a soothing and enjoyable routine can be created so your baby knows it's bedtime. For toddlers, a daily sleep schedule that is enforced and consistent is recommended. For preschoolers and school-age children, the Sleep Foundation recommends not putting a television in your child's room, maintaining a consistent schedule, avoiding caffeine and teaching them about them about the importance of good sleep habits.
Considerations
Children who don't get enough sleep, no matter what age group they fall into, can have problems of all different kinds. Toddlers can have problems with behavior when they're tired and cranky, and also experience problems with daytime fatigue and behavior issues. School-age children can struggle in school and in extracurricular activities, and also suffer from depression if they're always fatigued. The National Sleep Foundation also points out that sleep-starved kids are also more easily frustrated and fidgety.
Expert Insight
For newborns and infants especially, there are a number of books and strategies for helping your child get the sleep they need. The Ferber method is one example. Developed by Dr. Richard Ferber, his method teaches parents how to let their children "cry it out" in the hopes that they become self-soothers and eventually learn how to sleep without the help of their parents. There is also the no-cry sleep solution, which was developed by Elizabeth Pantley, a parenting educator.
