How to improve your child's sleep. Healthy sleep of the baby What does the child need for healthy sleep

Good sleep supports human health and performance. Especially important sleep for children. If the child does not sleep well, he becomes capricious, loses his appetite, and lags behind in physical development. Such a child is more prone to various diseases than other children. That's why it's so important for parents to know How much sleep does a child need (in hours).

Benefits of healthy sleep for children and adults

Brain cells have the opportunity to rest only during sleep. Benefits of healthy sleep for children and adults in that it protects the brain, prevents disturbances in the activity of nerve cells and ensures a normal human life. Rest during sleep and other organs. The skin of the face turns pink, the rhythm of heart activity and breathing slows down, the muscles relax and require less nutrients than usual. During sleep, body tissues accumulate fats, proteins, carbohydrates for subsequent work during wakefulness.

Some parents think that during sleep, the child is completely unaffected by the environment. It turns out that this is not so. For example, in a sleeping child, one can observe an increase in the pulse and respiration under the influence of sharp, odorous substances, cold, heat, and other factors. The great physiologist I. P. Pavlov established that while some parts of the brain rest during sleep, others are on guard duty, protecting the body from harmful influences.

How many hours should a child sleep in hours?

Depending on age, the duration of sleep and wakefulness of children varies. Installed exemplary norms in hours, how much a child should sleep. Depending on individual characteristics, the number of hours needed for healthy sleep may vary:

A newborn baby sleeps almost all the time, his sleep is interrupted only at the time of feeding.
A child up to 3-4 months sleeps for 1.5-2 hours between feedings and about 10 hours at night.
Children from 4 months to 1 year old should sleep during the day, 3 times for 1.5-2 hours, and about 10 hours at night.
It is useful for a child from 1 to 2 years old to sleep 2 times for 1.5-2 hours during the day, and 10 hours at night.
The duration of daytime sleep for preschool children is 2-2.5 hours, and nighttime sleep is 9-10 hours.
Finally, schoolchildren usually do not sleep during the day, but at night children over 7 years old need to sleep at least 9 hours.
Children with diseases of the intestines, lungs, infectious diseases should sleep 2-3 hours more than is necessary for healthy children of the same age.

Table: how much sleep the child should (in hours)

What does a child need for healthy sleep?

Primarily child always must sleep one. Sleeping in the same bed with adults can be harmful to his health. In the mouth and nose of adults, there are constantly a lot of microbes that can be pathogens for the baby. In addition, in a dream, a child may be frightened by an accidental touch, and then not fall asleep for a long time. But many experts speak positively about the joint sleep of mother and child in the first months of a baby's life.
The clothes of the child during sleep should be loose and comfortable.
In warm weather, it is advisable to put the child to sleep in the air - both during the day and at night: sleep in the fresh air is always stronger and longer. However, at the same time, try to protect the child from harsh external noises (barking dogs, car horns, etc.). In no case should the baby be allowed to overheat during sleep.
Strictly ensure that preschoolers go to bed at 8 o'clock, and younger students - no later than 9.
Do not accustom the baby to rocking and patting, telling stories.
Intimidation of the baby before going to bed (“the wolf will come and take it away if you don’t sleep,” etc.) excites his nervous system. In such cases, children often wake up at night screaming, jumping out of bed, covered with cold sweat. However, do not ask the child about his fears, but calmly lay him down and sit by the bed until he falls asleep. With frequently recurring, persistent fears, seek help from a doctor who will prescribe the appropriate regimen and treatment.
In no case do not resort to such means of lulling a child as wine, poppy infusion. Children are very sensitive to these poisons. They lead to poisoning and diseases of certain organs (for example, the liver, kidneys).
Reading before going to bed, lying in bed, excites the child, spoils the eyesight.
It is also harmful to watch television programs before going to bed, listen to the radio.
Highly useful for healthy sleep (both children and adults) short quiet walks half an hour before bedtime.

Carefully and lovingly protect your child's sleep!

A healthy full sleep of a child is the basis of its correct mental and physical development.

Sleep is as important as food, drink and safety in a child's life. For some, this does not seem obvious, which is why many of us do not get the full sleep that is so necessary for the proper development and functioning of the body.

Of course, we do a lot of things not on purpose. But in reality, we often do more than just think about how much and how we sleep, and that this could be a problem. Full-time parents, school, after-school activities, other lifestyle factors, missed naps, late bedtimes, early rises. At first glance, missing a nap or going to bed later than usual doesn't seem like a big deal, but it's not. In addition, the consequences of this may manifest themselves on the child in the future.

To understand the importance of sleep in the development and growth of a child, one must first understand what happens during sleep, what healthy sleep is, what happens if a child does not get the right amount or quality of sleep, or both at the same time. You also need to be aware of how sleep affects activity, alertness, relaxation, stress, and how this can affect temperament, academic performance and behavior in general.

In his book Healthy Sleep, Healthy Baby, Mark Weissbluth, MD, makes the following interesting and insightful commentary on sleep:

“Sleep is a source of energy that gives rest and activates forces. During nighttime sleep and daytime sleep, the "batteries of the brain" are recharged. Sleep improves mental ability in the same way that lifting weights increases muscle mass. Sleep increases the ability to concentrate, in addition, it allows you to both relax physically and mentally become more active. In this case, the next morning the person feels great.

The basis of healthy sleep

For a healthy and restful sleep you need:

Enough sleep

Uninterrupted sleep (good quality sleep)

Required amount according to the person's age

A daily routine that is in harmony with the natural biological rhythms of a person (internal clock or circadian rhythms)

In case of non-compliance with any points, symptoms of lack of sleep may appear.

Optimal Activity: healthy sleep allows a person to function normally after waking up, which is called being optimally active. We know different forms of wakefulness, ranging from lethargy to hyperactivity. Optimal activity is a state in which the best perception and interaction with the environment occurs at the moment of the longest concentration of attention and increased ability to learn and remember. This can be seen in a child when he is calm, attentive, polite, studying the world around him with wide eyes, absorbing all emotions and impressions, easily communicating with others. Changing the state of activity affects behavior and the ability to perceive new knowledge.

Sleep duration: In order to grow, develop and function normally, a child needs to get enough sleep. The amount of sleep a child needs depends on their age. Do not forget that each child is unique and each has its own characteristics.

Sleep quality: The quality of sleep is uninterrupted sleep that allows the child to go through all the necessary stages and phases of sleep. The quality of sleep is just as important as the quantity. It plays an important role in the development of the nervous system.

Short nap: napping also plays an important role in sleep quality. Daytime naps help optimize a child's activity and also affect development and learning. A short nap is a little different from a night nap. Daytime sleep differs not only in the nature of sleep itself, but also in that it performs different functions at different periods of the day. That is why the duration of daytime sleep is extremely important and why they must be in harmony with the biological rhythms of the child.

Internal sync: We wake up; we are awake. We get tired; we go to bed. That's the way nature does it. These are all part of natural, everyday biological rhythms.

In the first months of a child's life, these rhythms are irregular, but with age they gradually become synchronized and established. A person rests best and most of all when sleep (day and night) is in harmony with these rhythms. The lack of such synchronization can disrupt the rhythms or cycle, and this does not allow you to fall asleep and continue to sleep soundly, for example. This can result in excessive fatigue and nervousness of the child. Therefore, it is very important to regulate the amount of sleep the child has and adjust his daily routine so that it matches the child's biological clock as much as possible.

Consequences of sleep disturbance

Sleep disturbance, whatever it is, can have significant and even serious consequences. In his book Healthy Sleep, Healthy Baby, Mark Weissbluth writes:

“Problems with sleep affect the condition of the child not only at night, but also during the day. Sleep problems affect mental abilities, attentiveness, concentration, mood. Children become impulsive, hyperactive or lazy."

Chronic sleep deprivation: It is very important to understand that the lack of sleep is cumulative: daytime sleepiness gradually increases. This means that even minor changes in sleep patterns will turn into serious consequences over time. Conversely, small changes to increase sleep duration can have a positive effect. It all depends on the nature and extent of the problem.

Fatigue: Even at first glance, a slight lack of sleep can cause fatigue in a child. It is difficult for the child to remain active, fatigue appears, even if the child does not participate in any activity at all.

Especially during the day, when spending time with friends and family, the child wants to be part of the action and his response to fatigue is to “battle it”. Therefore, the child tries to stay alert and active. This provokes the formation of a hormone such as adrenaline, due to which the child becomes hyperactive. In this case, the child is awake, but exhausted. Excessive nervousness, irritability and fussiness begin to appear. The child cannot concentrate and study for a long time. That is why tired children seem overexcited, hyperactive. Now you understand, when a child is so excited, he will not be able to fall asleep quickly and easily.

Interestingly, it also provokes frequent awakenings at night. Therefore, you should not let your seemingly active, tireless child go to bed late. The sooner the child goes to bed, the better for him. Sometimes even 15-20 minutes can have a positive effect. You will be very surprised to discover how easy it is to put a sleepy child to bed.

Interesting observations

Below you will find results from various studies that illustrate the difficulties and changes in the behavior of a child due to sleep problems (from Mark Weissbluth "Healthy sleep, healthy child" and Gary Jezzo and Robert Bucknam "How to raise a smart child"):

Children cannot outgrow sleep problems; problems need to be addressed.

The longer the child sleeps during the day, the higher the attention span.

Children who do not get enough sleep during the day are more irritable, need more communication, and cannot entertain and amuse themselves.

Newborns who sleep a lot during the daytime are more joyful, sociable, less dependent. The behavior of children who sleep little may be similar to that of hyperactive children.

A small but constant lack of sleep accumulates and constantly affects the work of the brain.

High IQ children of any age group sleep a lot.

Improving the quality of sleep in children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) has a positive effect on peer relationships and school performance.

Healthy sleep has a positive effect on neurological development and is considered the main means of preventing many behavioral problems and poor academic performance.

How parents can help

As parents, we must feel and protect the sleep of the child, since we are the ones who ensure their safety, we regularly prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner for them. First of all, we are responsible for the hygiene of the child's sleep, so we need to start teaching the child proper hygiene as early as possible. It is much easier to instill good habits than to correct bad ones.

By instilling the right attitude towards sleep through daily attention and care, you will grow up a happy, self-confident, independent, sociable child. But you should not forget about yourself: you also need a good sleep.

Healthy sleep of the child is very important. He is like food, water and air. Healthy sleep of a child is a source that gives energy, strength, rest. With the help of sleep, all the information received by the baby during the day is processed. Healthy sleep is a guarantee of well-being, health and comfort.

The organization of sleep in children must be approached with responsibility and thoughtfully. From childhood, you need to teach your children to the daily routine, time management, proper sleep. Sleep is very closely related to other components of life: hygiene, clothing, nutrition, outdoor walks and others. And who, if not parents, can control and teach their child to a healthy sleep.

Need for sleep depends on age. Newborns sleep about 20 hours a night, children 2 to 4 years old about 16 hours, 4 to 5 year olds should get 13 hours of sleep, 6 to 7 year olds should get 12 hours of sleep, and teenagers need 9 hours of sleep.

Of course, first of all, parents themselves must be convinced of the importance and necessity of sleep for the development of their heirs. Now everyone is aware that you need to go to bed at the same time, preferably a couple of hours before midnight. At night, walks and quiet conversations are useful.

The ritual of preparing for sleep is also important, helping to fall asleep quickly and get the maximum benefit from a night's rest for health and study. All these right words, however, help little and our children stay up late at night playing computer games and chatting on social networks.

Much of this is the fault of the parents themselves. Didn't show perseverance, didn't form a habit. They themselves do not set a proper example.

Whatever the rhythm of our life, no matter how busy and busy we are, it is necessary to think about the future of children. Feed, teach, educate - it's important. But to teach a child to live, alternating activity and rest in reasonable proportions, is no less important.

Rules for healthy sleep in a child

In order for sleep to be healthy and beneficial for the child, you need to follow the basic rules

Fresh air and ventilated room.

The air in the child's room should not be humidified or stuffy. Children's leading pediatricians are advised to set the temperature in the room to +18 degrees. At this temperature, it is very easy to breathe, sleep is calm, and in the morning the baby will feel good. As the long-term practice of specialists shows, at this temperature the baby does not open. If you are worried that the child will freeze, then use warm and soft pajamas. Try to pay attention to the humidity of the air. If it is not possible to purchase a special humidifier, then place a couple of water containers near the crib or near the battery.

Comfortable bed.

The bed is the basis of a healthy sleep in a child. It is better to purchase a bed with an orthopedic mattress. Its advantages: strength, rigidity, maintaining the position of the child. Up to 3 years, instead of a standard pillow, it is better to use a towel or a very thin pillow. A child's blanket should be light, natural, without impregnations and dyes. If there are ruffles, canopies on bedding or cribs, then, oddly enough, these are real dust collectors. And dust blocks the flow of fresh air.

Lighting.

Children's room should be well lit. Since the child is here to play and study. But many children do not like to fall asleep in pitch darkness, so experts advise installing lamps around the perimeter of the room. The lamps will create a soft light that will help the child fall asleep easily. Pay attention to the curtains in the children's room. When the child is preparing for bed during the day, then with the help of them you can create twilight. Do not forget about the cleanliness of the curtains, they should not accumulate a lot of dust, wash them periodically.

Ritual before bed.

Do the same things every night before bed. Doing the same thing every time, it will be like a ritual for the baby. He will know that first you need to swim, then read a book and fall asleep. Instead of a book, you can use a lullaby or turn on slow instrumental music. After the child falls asleep, the music must be turned off. Keep the house quiet: do not talk loudly, do not turn on loud music. Take care of your baby's sleep.

Active day.

Spend more time outdoors, play active games. The day should be spent cheerfully, positively. Try to avoid tantrums and crying. Set up your baby in a good way.

You need to go to bed at the same time. Before going to bed, it is advisable not to play active games, do not run or jump.

It is desirable that the child sleeps only in his own crib, and not with his parents. You can choose one favorite toy, and let the baby fall asleep with it. This will replace his mother. And also this toy will be associated with sleep.

Be sure to kiss your baby before going to bed, wish you good night.

If you follow these rules systematically, then the baby's sleep will stabilize. The baby will get used to the regime and it will be easy to fall asleep. Sleep will also have a positive effect on the health of the baby, on his mood and behavior.

The main thing is to be there and support!

How to convince your child to go to bed on time.

What arguments can be made to convince your child to take nightly rest seriously and not disrupt this important physiological process for the sake of momentary pleasure?

For a girl, a girl, you can focus on the desire to look good. It is worth delicately complaining that today she looks a little worse than when she gets enough sleep. And the skin is paler, and the bags under the eyes, and the eyes are not as shiny as they could be. It usually makes an impression. It is important not to overdo it with criticism. A little bit of everything and very unobtrusively.

A teenager and a young man in search of arguments will have to show ingenuity. This is where the ambition game comes in. If it is important for a guy to win the rivalry with intelligence among his peers, then to catch him on some kind of oversight, a reservation, to notice that lack of sleep affects the sharpness of thought.

If the guy goes in for sports, then the emphasis should be on the loss of physical strength, loss of dexterity, compared with those days when sleep takes its rightful place in the daily routine. Emphasize that the result could be much more significant. Naturally, not sharply and not rudely. In passing, as if casually.

How to convince parents of the benefits of sleep for children.

This task is much more difficult. Just think, you didn’t get enough sleep today, you didn’t sleep tomorrow. And now irritability, fatigue, and health noticeably fails. But youth is frivolous. Force yourself to think about more than just today.

Parents should learn once and for all that the correct sleep of their children (at least 8 hours) and every time at the same time is a guarantee that your child will grow up healthy not only physically, but also psychologically.

Children, in whose families His Majesty the “daily routine”, occupies a dominant place, are less prone to depression, balanced and able to withstand the trials that they will certainly meet in life.

They are able to cope with difficulties without resorting to addictions. They have less need to seek oblivion and dubious entertainment. They find it easier to find a common language with their peers, without entering into conflicts.

It is easy and joyful for them already because the body has received its share of rest and is ready to function actively and fully, without looking for additional reserves, without straining.

If you want your children, now and in the future, to live a full, happy life - make sure that the habit of going to bed at the same time becomes second nature.

Forming the habit of proper and healthy sleep is not very difficult. All you need is an understanding of the importance and a little time.

Shcherbonosova Tatyana Anatolyevna - Head of the Department of Nervous Diseases, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, KGBOU DPO "Institute for Advanced Training of Health Specialists" of the Ministry of Health of the Khabarovsk Territory, Candidate of Medical Sciences

Gorbulina Svetlana Vladimirovna - assistant of the Department of Nervous Diseases, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, KGBOU DPO "Institute for Advanced Training of Healthcare Professionals" of the Ministry of Health of the Khabarovsk Territory, neurologist, KGBUZ "Regional Clinical Hospital No. 1" named after. prof. S.I. Sergeeva Ministry of Health of the Khabarovsk Territory

Every mom wants to know if her baby is getting enough sleep. Sleep-savvy moms not only want to know if their kids are getting enough sleep, they want to make sure their babies have a healthy sleep pattern that allows them to recover physically and emotionally, as well as develop and grow properly.

Mark Weissbluth highlights 5 elements of healthy sleep, which has the maximum restorative effect for a child. Read to the end and compare your baby's sleep with these points - now you know how good your baby's sleep is.

Total sleep duration (day + night)

Up to 3-4 months, the baby's sleep speaks about the development of his brain and most often the child sleeps as much as he needs, because biological factors influence his sleep. At the same time, the baby can sleep in almost any conditions, even with noise and light, which means that the child can be constantly with you and, wherever you are, if he needs sleep, he will fall asleep. Evening bedtime at this age can be at different times, which is often due to colic, which manifest itself especially strongly in the period from 18 to 24 hours. Babies sleep an average of 16-17 hours a day, often confusing day and night.

After 4 months, parents already form the sleep and wakefulness of the child and can influence its duration. One of mom and dad's most important goals should be the healthy sleep your growing baby needs.

Of course, periodically skipping, for example, daytime sleep or later bedtime, may not hurt the child, but if this has become a habit, then the baby may become more and more capricious and uncontrollable in his overwork.

Studies have shown that sleep rates are not affected by cultural and ethnic differences, social variables, even various modern inventions, including television, computers, and so on. Sleep norms are characteristic for each age of the child and are biologically fixed.

Having daytime sleep

Daytime sleep is significantly different from night sleep and has rhythms independent of it. At the same time, daytime sleep leads to optimal daytime activity for learning, does not allow the child to overwork, which means that the baby will sleep better at night.

The main function of daytime sleep is to provide children with maximum REM sleep, that is, to restore them emotionally and psychologically, while nighttime sleep restores physical strength to a greater extent.

It is very important to choose the right time of the day at which the baby sleeps. After a healthy daytime sleep, the child wakes up rested, and the level of cortisol in his blood drops. Too short or not synchronized with the baby's biological rhythms, sleep will not give adequate rest, but, nevertheless, at least a short daytime sleep is better than its complete absence. After 4 months, daytime sleep that lasts less than one hour cannot be "real" and most often does not bring any benefit to the baby.

Children can and should be taught proper daytime sleep. If a child does not sleep well during the day, then his concentration of attention is lower, they are less persistent in completing tasks, they hardly adapt to new things, and they are prone to hyperactivity.

If your baby does not sleep well during the day, and you ignore early bedtime, then he suffers.

Sleep continuity

Consolidated or uninterrupted sleep is one of the important conditions for healthy sleep, that is, 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep is not at all equal to 11 hours of sleep if the baby woke up. Fragmentation of sleep reduces its overall duration and reduces the effectiveness of restoring the physical and emotional strength of children.

In the first months of life, protective awakenings are triggered in children, which prevent sleep apnea, but if such awakenings continue, they harm the child, because they violate the integrity, continuity of sleep.

Sometimes parents themselves make the baby’s sleep unconsolidated if the baby constantly sleeps in a stroller while moving, or when rocking in his arms, sleep in a moving car. Such a dream is not deep, short and is not able to restore the baby's body. The best sleep will be sleeping in one place, and motionless.

A few awakenings can be normal if the baby is able to fall asleep on its own after that, and also if the baby sleeps next to the mother and breastfeeds repeatedly, in which case both mother and baby do not wake up completely and do not suffer from fragmentation.

The main problem in awakening children can be called the inability of the child to fall asleep on his own after waking up.

How to help your baby sleep through the night: https://bit.ly/1lMDs4X

Sleeping mode

When we eat fast food, it saturates, but does not add health. The same can be said about sleep. A low-quality sleep schedule leaves us with a tired and overworked child as a result, because sleep, as it is, is like food for his brain. The mode of sleep and wakefulness should be maximally synchronized with the biological rhythms of the baby.

Up to six weeks, children sleep a lot and often, mothers are satisfied and happy, but time passes and the baby is no longer so easy to put to bed. And here, without a doubt, the regime will help us. In order to teach a four- to eight-month-old baby to a healthy and biologically correct sleep schedule, parents should control the time of bedtime themselves, not relying on the fact that a tired child will go to bed on his own. Speaking about the mode, it is worth specifying the time:

8:30-9:00 - first sleep time for babies up to 6 months;

12:30-13:00 - lunchtime nap (this time is perfect for all children who still sleep during the day);

18:00-20:00 is the best time to go to bed at night.

When organizing a child's sleep schedule, many parents make the mistake of always putting the baby to bed at the same time. However, for a child, the best option will be if you are flexible. If he did not sleep well during the day or played too actively and was tired, then shift the time of night sleep to an earlier one. At each age, babies have their own allowable wakefulness time, knowing this moment greatly facilitates the process of laying down.

Rituals play an important role in observing the regime, because it is through them that the baby understands what is waiting for him now. Therefore, do not forget to repeat the same actions every night before the baby goes to bed. For example: quiet and calm games, bathing, massage, a bottle, a book in bed and finally sleep.

One of the most difficult things for every parent is to put their little one to bed. Children of all ages are constantly actively resisting sleep, and often parents, having given up on the regimen, allow the child to do without daytime sleep or go to bed much later. But is sleep really important for a baby?

The answer to this question is obvious - archival. During sleep, many important and useful processes are activated in the child's body:

growth hormone production
energy storage for the next day,
strengthening immunity,
development of memory and concentration.

Also during sleep, the brain processes information received during wakefulness.

Children sleep longer than adults, because the child's body requires more energy, as a result of ongoing development.

Impulsivity and capriciousness, by the way, can be caused precisely by lack of sleep.
If we talk about the duration of sleep in numbers, we get the following relationship:

Newborn sleep time is up to 20 hours a day. By the end of the first trimester, this figure drops to 15 hours, and nighttime sleep becomes longer than daytime.

By one year old baby The need for sleep ranges from 10 to 13 hours a day.

However, no less sleep is required and elementary school students, because mental stress during this period becomes quite exhausting for the child's brain.

But high school students 9 hours is already enough for a complete rest.

For adults 8 hours is enough, and for the elderly even less - 6 or even 5 hours a day.

How to know when to put your baby to bed? Determination of the moment of laying down a small child falls entirely on the shoulders of the parents, since such crumbs are not able to independently determine that it is time to sleep and they themselves will not go to bed.

Each child has their own signs of fatigue, which signal the need to lay the baby. But there are a few universal ones:

moodiness, lethargy and crying for no reason,
beginning yawning and eye rubbing,
excessive arousal and hyperactivity,
attempts to lie on the floor and other surfaces.

So that the process of laying down the crumbs does not turn into a local conflict with accompanying tantrums for several hours, certain rules must be followed. These rules will help to simplify and facilitate the baby's going to bed as much as possible.

Need to define specific daily routine, in which the time of laying the child should be clearly defined. The cyclicity of the process will allow the baby to quickly enter the rhythm and distinguish day from night. After a while, the baby will already experience fatigue by the time "X". Naturally, it will be easier to put the child in this way.

Child psychologists and doctors advise use "rituality" when laying the baby. It consists in repeating certain actions before going to bed every day (water procedures, reading fairy tales, walking). Subsequently, at the beginning of the “ritual”, the child’s body begins to prepare for sleep, and after it ends, the baby falls asleep in a matter of minutes.

Need to de-energize before bed, because If you do not calm the child, no means will help. To do this, it is necessary at least an hour before the departure time for the side, to take the child in a calm activity and not to let him watch TV.