How much sleep should a child have each day? What constitutes insufficient sleep for a child? Parents concerned about their children's well-being will undoubtedly value sleep duration and quality. We have invited Paediatric Specialist Dr. Chan Yik-Chun to offer parents advice on this matter.
Early to bed and early to rise.
Dr. Chan emphasised that sleep is very important for children, and has a certain impact on growth and development, as well as brain development. Generally speaking, medicine generally recommends that children go to bed early and wake up early. Although some children have to go to bed late due to extracurricular activities or family needs, parents can also refer to foreign sleep medicine recommendations:
| Age | Hours |
| 1 year old | 15 hours |
| 3 years old | 12 hours |
| 5 years old | 10 hours |
| 6 years old | 9 hours |
| 18 or over | 8 hours |
The chart shows that younger children require relatively more sleep. Parents can compare their child's current sleep patterns with the ideal sleep duration to make adjustments. Dr. Chan also points out that, in addition to sleep duration, good sleep quality is also very important. Children may often wake up during sleep, have nightmares, nasal congestion, difficulty breathing, snore, or even experience sleep apnoea. Parents should pay attention to any factors affecting their child's sleep quality.
Lack of sleep makes it difficult to secrete growth hormone.
Dr. Chan explains that studies show that long periods of sleep at night are beneficial for the secretion of growth hormone, leading to more ideal secretion if sleep is sufficient. Conversely, insufficient sleep can affect a child's overall growth and height. Children who are chronically sleep-deprived may experience impaired growth, and a daytime nap cannot replicate the benefits of nighttime sleep.
SleepAids brain development
Besides growth and development, sleep also greatly impacts a child's brain development. Dr. Chan explained, for example, that when children go to school, they need to use their learning ability, concentration, and memory. If they sleep well, their brains process knowledge using deep memory during sleep at night. Therefore, the duration and quality of sleep at night are very important for brain development. Having sufficient and good sleep allows for the healthy development of the brain, and memory improves relatively during learning, which helps enhance children's learning abilities.
Quality sleep stabilises your emotions
Lack of sleep can make children more prone to irritability and emotional outbursts. Research shows that poor sleep quality, insufficient sleep, or havingSleep apnoeaChildren are more susceptible to emotional and mental impacts, and clinical data shows thatADHDThe incidence of this condition is also more common in this group of children. Conversely, children who get enough sleep tend to have more stable emotions and better concentration.
Sleeping in too late is not advisable.
Many parents also let their children nap after school. However, Dr. Chan points out that children aged four and above do not need to "sleep through the afternoon". Even if they genuinely feel tired and need to rest, it is only recommended that they nap for about 30-45 minutes. Children who have a habit of napping may become too energised after their nap and consequently be unwilling to sleep at night. Parents need to be mindful not to let their children "sleep through the afternoon" to the extent that it affects their crucial sleep time at night.
Go to bed early and wake up early in sync with your body's needs.
The body's biological clock is linked to daylight, so even with the same amount of sleep, it's better for children to sleep early and wake early than to sleep late and wake late. Dr. Chan suggests that parents should try their best to train children to develop good sleep habits of sleeping early and waking early.
Eight tips for improving sleep quality
Children refusing to wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night, causing headaches for parents? Dr. Chan shares the following tips for establishing good sleep hygiene:
- Establish a stable and regular sleep routine and lifestyle.
- Eat dinner earlier, leaving enough time for digestion and rest before bed.
- Avoid strenuous activity after meals.
- Engage in more gentle activities, such as reading instead of watching television, using mobile phones, and other electronic devices.
- Complete habitual actions like bathing and brushing teeth at the scheduled time
- Establish a bedtime routine, such as listening to stories, chatting, or praying.
- Create a comfortable environment by playing soft music, dimming the lights to a warm, soft glow.
- Set a bedtime
Adequate sleep aids in children's physical and mental development, promoting brain growth, improving mood, and enhancing learning abilities. As parents, establishing consistent sleep habits and a conducive environment can help your child thrive. Sleep is the best "free therapy"!
The above information was provided by Dr. Chen Yijun.
Source: Yahoo! News (16 June 2023)
https://bit.ly/440wsqr
