Why does the baby sleep badly at night. The main causes of poor sleep at night in children

Many parents worry about their child not sleeping well at night. This does not always mean that the baby has nervous disorders or diseases. Factors can be different and there are many of them.

Sleep disorders in early infancy

The period up to six months is the most difficult for both moms and dads, and for their baby. Monthly - a two-month-old child is often due to the physiological characteristics of sleep (sometimes the frequency of waking up is repeated every hour). This is because light sleep takes longer than deep sleep. As a result, your baby wakes up easily at any time.
When breastfeeding a baby during the night, he simply needs feeding on demand. Because of this, a hungry baby will inevitably wake up. Be sure to pick him up, feed him, rock him. The baby should feel the parental warmth and calm down. It has been proven that the more regular touching a baby receives, the more likely it is that his rest will be serene.

Causes of poor sleep in children

The most common reasons why a child does not sleep well at night and often wakes up are:

1. Colic.

In infancy, restless sleep is often the result of colic. Violent bouts of crying, accompanied by arching of the back, pulling the legs to the stomach, testify to pain in the tummy. It is impossible to calm a child, and the painful expression of a crying face does not give you peace, you are worried and do not know what to do.

Usually, the first colic occurs in completely healthy babies at the age of 1-3 weeks and can be repeated regularly until the age of four months. To cope with this problem and help the newborn sleep peacefully at night, you need to find out the cause of colic and try to eliminate it. Go to the doctor. If you are breastfeeding, tell your doctor what you are eating (""). It is possible that substances from certain foods get into the milk and irritate the baby's digestive system. The culprit of pain in the tummy is often intolerance to milk sugar - lactose or milk protein (""). In any case, your district pediatrician will give the necessary practical recommendations, and a nutritionist will help you review the menu and remove “irritant foods” from it.

1. Teeth are cutting.

From 6-7 months to a year, common reasons that a child does not sleep well at night, toss and turn, often wakes up and cries, is teething. To cope with these reasons, special medicines for children will help.

It is not difficult to understand that teeth are being cut. The timing of the eruption of the first teeth for each child is individual, they may slightly shift from the average norm ("When are the first teeth cut in babies? How to help the baby?"). In boys, this process often begins later. There are several signals of teething - there is reddening of the gums, the cheeks become hot to the touch, your baby is naughty, cries, cannot fall asleep, his salivation increases. The temperature often rises. Keep a gum ointment or gel handy. This remedy will reduce the intensity of pain, fever and cool the child's disturbed gums. Also try gently placing a finger dipped in cool water on your sore gums.

1. Fears and feelings.

It would seem that after a year, restless night sleep should pass. But it happens that a one-year-old child and older continues to wake up and cry, he sleeps little, the established regime is violated. At this age stage, the emerging childhood fears can become a determining factor. During these years, the first phobias of the child are born due to the actively developing imagination and environmental influences. Try to protect your child from watching too aggressive cartoons, do not watch films and programs with similar content in front of him. This can be the main source of nightmares for a child. Information flows containing aggression, violence and any kind of negativity should not reach him. The brain of a little man absorbs everything like a sponge and deposits it in the mind. The result is disturbing dreams.

1. Emotions.

A child's emotional state has a huge impact on healthy sleep. If the baby is afraid or resentful, he will not be able to sleep normally. Therefore, the emotional situation in the family plays one of the primary roles. Even if the newborn is silent, he still feels everything and passes through himself. Be gentle and patient with him, create an atmosphere of calm and comfort for him. Talk to him, read or tell him a story. Every child should feel safe. This is a guarantee not only of his healthy sleep, but also of further successful development and well-being.

1. Excessive activity and excitability.

It happens that the child's nervous system is too mobile, he is too excitable. Such children, due to their susceptibility, cannot fall asleep on their own. In this case, the most acceptable way out of the situation will be a joint dream with mom and dad. When you practice falling asleep in your bed, you should take into account that the child will get used to this and for comfort he will need just such an environment, and it will be difficult for him to fall asleep alone. Therefore, try, despite the difficulties and nuances that arise, to accustom him to falling asleep on his own. This does not apply to the period from birth to a year, when the baby's connection with the mother is still very strong and he just needs to calm down in his mother's arms, feeling her warmth and such an important sense of security.

Today, there are special baby cribs on sale that can be pushed close to the parents' bed by removing one of the walls of the crib. Before going to bed, bathe your baby in warm water and give a relaxing massage with baby oil. Do not arrange active games or activities immediately before bedtime that can overexcite the child's nervous system and prevent him from relaxing.

1. Sleep disorders and pathologies.

Sometimes children do not sleep well due to serious health problems. For example, due to dysbacteriosis, otitis media, worms or other diseases. In more rare cases, due to a brain tumor or pathology of the central nervous system. Does the child have restless sleep, does this happen regularly, and sometimes it seems that he does not sleep at all? Be sure to visit a pediatrician who will examine your little one and establish the true causes of failures.

1. external conditions.

Do not forget that for a calm and comfortable night's rest, the child should create favorable conditions. Let the bed linen always be soft and pleasant, the bed comfortable, the temperature and humidity in the room optimal.

Sometimes the child does not fall asleep due to excessive heat. The room in which the child sleeps should always be clean and regularly ventilated. The atmosphere of the room should be soothing, cozy, instill a sense of security and relaxation.

1. Wrong mode.

Nighttime sleep disturbances in children are often the result of an improper routine. In the case when during the day the child leads a passive lifestyle, and you do not create conditions for activity for him, then in the evening it will be difficult for him to fall asleep and his rest will not be complete. How to put a child to sleep? Wait until he throws out energy and gets tired.

High activity in the first half of the day and moderate activity in the second half of the day most favorably affect the quality of night sleep.

Walking and activity, long games in the fresh air are useful for crumbs. Most children need to expend a lot of energy during the day in order to fall asleep in the evening. Sports and outdoor games come to the rescue.

From birth, teach your child to distinguish the meaning of the time of day. The night is for peace and relaxation, the day is for games and wakefulness. Try not to put the child to bed before dark.

It is difficult for a child to fall asleep on an empty stomach, but in case of overeating it will be difficult to fall asleep.

Boys and girls after a year should be fed no later than 1.5-2 hours before falling asleep. Babies, as usual, are fed on demand. Developing a consistent activity and food intake is not easy, but it is very important. Be patient and things will get better soon.

What to do?

• Psychologists believe that sleep problems in children from birth to three years old can be solved by laying the child next to you. Is there no such possibility? Then put your baby's bed very close so that he feels your presence. So the child will sleep more peacefully.
• A large number of psychologists talk about the effect of music on falling asleep in an infant. Experts say that he will fall asleep well to the music that his mother listened to during pregnancy. Of course, it should be pleasant soothing melodies. Classic melodic works have a particularly favorable effect.
• For older kids, an important step towards the normalization of rest is the “expulsion” of fears together with mom and dad. Rituals play a significant role in this. Put a fairy doll or a magical almighty bear in the baby's crib, which will drive away all the horror stories. Leave a night light on at night.
• Seven-year-old children are subject to stress and anxiety no less than at the age of three. They go to school for the first time, their routine changes, there are responsibilities that are subject to assessment, meeting new children. School is a completely new environment for any child and it is not only a source of new positive impressions, interests and knowledge, but also a source of stress. A first grader often experiences strong feelings about homework or relationships with other children. From this, the dream becomes restless, the student cannot fall asleep for a long time. You can and should help the child overcome the fears and feelings that arise, support him.

With the right approach and correction of the current situation, the result will certainly be, the main thing is patience, and the question of how to put the child to sleep for sleep without waking up will disappear by itself! Remember that babies grow very fast!

Most parents before the birth of the baby prepare for the fact that the newborn will change the established way of the family. A born baby, indeed, delivers a lot of pleasant, and sometimes not very pleasant troubles. One of the most common causes of concern for mothers and fathers is that the child does not sleep well at night.

A baby often wakes up at night when he wants to eat. However, many babies at various times in their lives stop sleeping for no apparent reason. Sometimes the baby, who previously slept soundly all night, begins to wake up and cry. Why does sleep worsen and what can parents do to change the situation?

Sleep phases

Sleep is one of the most important physiological needs of a person. During sleep, many processes occur in the human body that ensure the normal functioning of all vital organs, namely:

Sleep has two main phases - slow and fast, each of which performs an important function for a person. During the slow phase, the body is renewed, the spent energy is replenished, thought processes are regulated. This phase has several stages:

• Dive into slumber. The brain continues to work, the received information is processed. Many adults in a state of drowsiness can solve issues that baffled them the day before.
• Falling asleep. Consciousness turns off and on again, but the brain continues to work. In the intervals between switching on and off, a person can hear everything that happens around him. Muscles come to a relaxed state, the pulse slows down. Children during falling asleep can wake up from the slightest sound.
• Transitional deep stage. The brain gradually turns off, the body completely relaxes, the processes in the body slow down.
• Deepest sleep. The brain stops responding to the outside world, breathing becomes deep, blood circulation slows down. Waking up a person at this time is very difficult. Even if the sleeper wakes up, he will not immediately understand where he is and what is happening to him.

The slow phase is followed by the fast phase. At this time, a person can have vivid dreams. If the child is awakened during the fast phase, he will be able to describe the dream in colors. During the fast phase, the following processes occur:

• brain development;
• memory training;
• elimination of nervous tension;
• assimilation of new information;
• brain rewiring.

The four stages of non-REM sleep and REM sleep make up one cycle. A person can go through 4 to 6 cycles per night. The duration of each of them depends on the age. In newborns, REM sleep prevails over slow sleep. They are able to go into the fast phase immediately after falling asleep. In adults, slow-wave sleep makes up the bulk of the night's rest.

The duration of cycles in children depending on age and the ratio of sleep phases are shown in the table:

Why the child does not sleep well and often wakes up at night: possible causes

This article talks about typical ways to solve your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know from me how to solve exactly your problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!

The physiological characteristics of the body lead to the fact that the baby does not sleep well. The newborn does not sleep well because he needs milk. He practically does not fall into a deep sleep, so any sound can wake him up. However, when a newborn constantly gets up without sleeping even half an hour, or a child older than a year wakes up his parents from bed crying, it means that something prevents him from having a good rest.

Physiological factors

Many newborns do not sleep well at night when they do not have enough mother's milk. In some women, as a result of an improper diet, milk loses its nutritional value. The baby does not eat enough, so he wakes up and cries. Among the physiological causes of poor sleep, there are also:

Psychological reasons

The child does not sleep at night at a new stage of development. One-year-olds begin to worry when they take their first steps. They feel that they are moving away from their mother, and this worries them greatly. Night vigils also begin during the period of getting used to kindergarten. The child finds himself in a new environment, which is a strong stress for him.

In children 6-7 years old, bouts of sleepwalking may occur during the period of adaptation to school. The child wakes up, cries, can walk around the apartment, and remember nothing in the morning.

Other psychological factors include:

• Fears. Children are very impressionable. Bright or frightening images seen during the day can lead to the fact that the baby will be afraid of the dark, loneliness, extraneous sounds.
• Excessive impressions before going to bed. Active games, the arrival of a beloved grandmother, conflicts between relatives, a quarrel with parents affect the emotional state of children. An overabundance of both good and bad impressions disturbs sleep.
• Mother's absence. Babies are very attached to their mother. When for some reason they do not see her during the day or before going to bed, they begin to worry internally.
• Stress due to weaning. For many babies, breastfeeding is an essential attribute of falling asleep, the absence of which leads to night vigils.
• A change of scenery. Children are worried about moving to new places. Even a change of wallpaper or furniture can affect the psychological state of the child.
• The birth of a second child affects the calmness of the older baby.
• Mom's stress. If the mother is restless, something worries her, then subconsciously the baby perceives her condition.

Other circumstances

Among the reasons that affect the sleep of children, there are also:

If a child sleeps badly at night not because of problems solved by a neurologist, and crying is not caused by an illness, mom and dad themselves can make sure that their child sleeps peacefully. To normalize children's sleep, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

In matters of children's sleep, Dr. Komarovsky advises not to adhere to generally accepted norms and concepts, but to the personal characteristics of the child and the moral calm of his mother. If one baby needs to sleep 2 times a day for good health, then one daytime sleep may be enough for another.

Komarovsky advises to monitor how the child behaves during the day. When the baby walks a lot and sleeps little during the day, at night he will let the whole family sleep. If the child is inactive, he will fall asleep poorly and wake up often.

The doctor recommends that parents do not adapt to the baby's regimen, but restructure his schedule so that the mother can rest peacefully at night. A calm mother is much more necessary for a child than an extra hour of daytime sleep. During the day, you need to deal with the child so that in the evening he barely has the strength to eat and fall asleep.

Dr. Komarovsky does not advise giving the baby a pillow before he turns 2 years old. Until this age, his spine is not fully formed. Sleeping on a pillow can be uncomfortable for a baby.

If the baby wakes up due to a wet diaper, parents need to choose a product that is more expensive or comfortable for the baby, at least for a night's sleep. Before going to bed, be sure to ventilate the room. The temperature in the nursery should be constantly no more than 20 degrees. A humidifier is a must.

Children of all ages need a lot of attention throughout the day. They need to be listened to, to help solve personal problems. It is important to prepare the child for the upcoming changes. If a move is expected, the birth of a second baby, or other significant events, you need to discuss the possible consequences with the youngest family member in advance.

Hello, Doctor. I understand that not all questions can be answered correctly, and yet I would be interested to know your opinion. My son is 2 years old. The boy is good, he speaks, he knows colors, there are a lot of brands of cars, he likes to "read" books, in short, he develops more or less normally. Not capricious, although it happens ... But you can negotiate with him. One trouble - crying at night and only at night. For two years now, he has not been sleeping well (all 2 years). Wakes up from 2-3 to 7-8 times a night, sometimes just with a whimper, sometimes with crying. Taking him to bed, stroking his head, putting him on a potty does not help. During the day he sleeps from 2 to 3 hours a day without waking up. What they did: ultrasound of the brain - 2 times (without pathologies), dopplerography (went to a recommended osteopath), were treated by a homeopath, drank everything - from Valerianochel to ..., soothing baths at night, etc. etc. Once in the hospital, where we were standing in line for an ultrasound scan, a doctor walked past Dimka and said: "What are you doing here? You, in my opinion, do not need to come here." We do not know this doctor. She just saw how Dimka plays and behaves in general. I say: "Yes, he doesn't sleep well at night." Answer: "It's not from the head, but he has such a vegetative disease," and she tried his palm, then mine. And she left. Since then, I've been thinking about it. None of the neurologists paid attention to this. They all recommended ultrasound, dopplerography, and an electroencephalogram (at the age of 1.5, Dimka did not allow himself to put on a hat, he burst into tears very much). So I have a question - what could mean such a remark by a doctor passing by. Of course, it would be more logical to find her and ask, but now it's not real, and her remark does not go out of my head. I have the most distant idea of ​​the autonomic system and have heard the term "vascular-vegetative dystonia". But how it is refracted through a child's bad sleep, and most importantly, what to do. I am raising a child alone. I haven't slept at night for 3 years now. Thank you if you answer. Tatiana

Hello, Tatyana! It is absolutely impossible to tell you the truth, to explain from exact medical positions the remark that passed by the doctor. But if approximately - instability, sensitivity of responses to what is happening around. This "happening" can include emotional reactions, and changes in atmospheric pressure, and physical activity, etc. Those. some special type of temperament. Unfortunately, our medicine is more and more trying to clumsily copy Western models. It is absolutely obvious that if a two-year-old child "speaks well, knows colors, has a lot of car brands, loves to 'read' books, in short, develops more or less normally ..." then there simply cannot be any organic pathology of the nervous system (organic pathology is something that can really be seen - inflammation, abscess, tumor, underdevelopment of anything, etc.). This means that the existing problems relate to the emotional sphere, which was, is, and, apparently, will be a secret with seven seals for a long time to come. But to say to an excited mother “we don’t understand anything here” or to admit that medicine in this case does not have harmless options for help - doctors simply cannot. So they "examine" for self- and mutual reassurance - ultrasound, dopplers, etc. "Well, you see for yourself - there is nothing to worry about..." The problem of night sleep really exists and you must clearly imagine the real possibilities - your own and medical ones. To make with the help of serious drugs so that the child sleeps at night is not a problem at all. But such drugs are very dangerous strategically, although they are tactically convenient - at least they give mom the opportunity to sleep. Therefore, we immediately discard the option of using all sorts of different tranquilizers and antipsychotics as unacceptable. Real options for pharmacological assistance nevertheless exist.

1. Sleeping pills and sedatives based on medicinal plants. You have already tried a lot, but there is one peculiarity in this direction: very often there is a very good reaction (ie, the achievement of the desired effect) to one particular drug, but almost no reaction to others. Those. Valerian is good for one, mint for the second, motherwort for the third, lemon balm for the fourth, etc. Almost all herbal sedatives are harmless, and you can experiment in different ways, you see, with some drug and guess. Naturally, complex preparations can also be tried (i.e., those with a little bit of different herbs) - persen, sanason, etc.

2. Be sure to make sure that the child receives enough calcium. During the period of intensive growth of bones and teeth, a decrease in the level of calcium in the blood serum is very often observed, and one of the classic manifestations of this decrease is a significant increase in nervous and psycho-emotional excitability. The essence of the test is not to drag the child to the next laboratory, but to give the baby 2-3 tablets of calcium gluconate or calcium glycerophosphate per day for 2-3 weeks. The presence of a positive effect (sleep better, calmer, etc.) confirms the version of the violation of calcium metabolism due to its lack. Further, and this is very (!) important. Very often, when a child is constantly fed vitamins, there is an overdose of vitamin D, which, again, requires calcium. And if vitamin D is given, but calcium is not, then this can make you sleep badly day and night.

3. Another, previously widely used, and now undeservedly forgotten drug is a solution of sodium bromide. About 50 years ago, no one would have done an ultrasound scan, but they would have prescribed bromine to the baby, he would have slept much better and everyone would have been fine. Sodium bromine is used in the form of a 2% solution, it must be ordered at a pharmacy - this is the main inconvenience - doctors have forgotten how prescriptions are written. The dose for a two-year-old child is 1.5 teaspoons 3 times a day, you can do this: 1 teaspoon in the morning and afternoon, 2 teaspoons at night. Give 10 days at this dose, and then gradually reduce the amount of the drug for 2-3 weeks. In order to get bromine, you should ask your local pediatrician to write a prescription. This is where safe pharmacology ends. Now let's forget about chemistry. The situation when a child feels well and develops well, but at the same time his mother does not sleep at night for 3 years, is absolutely abnormal!!! This is wrong on many counts. This is masochism, this is a lack of understanding of one's own prospects - well, at least the fact that your son still needs a healthy mother! Therefore, if you think about yourself at least a little, and educate your boy just a little, this will not mean at all that you are an evil, unkind stepmother. This will only mean that the happiness of the child and the happiness of his mother are interconnected things. What should you do to help your child sleep better at night? The answers are really obvious, you just need to analyze yourself, what should be done with yourself in order to sleep better? 1. Don't get enough sleep. Those. the child should be prevented from sleeping during the day. I guess that Dimkin's daytime dream is also a reason for you to take a nap, especially since the night is still ahead ... But! Wake up in an hour, will not help - do not stack at all. Sing, dance, walk, negotiate, etc. - but do not sleep. 2. In the evening, do not put to bed until you see that you are "ready", will be ready - at 22 - please. No - even if he runs until 2 am, but after getting into bed, communication should be completed before morning. 3. Until the night's sleep improves - limit emotional stress - all these cars, colors, letters, books and other educational games.

4. On the contrary, try to increase physical loads. Walk more, jump and jump, be sure to take a walk in the evening.

5. It is very important that the children's bedroom (any bedroom) has clean and cool air. Not more than 20 C, ideal - 18 C.

Last thing. Stop thinking that in such a situation, at least someone will help you. No homeopaths and other healers, no neuropathologists, uzists and osteopaths (by the way, I have no idea who they are) will help you. In relation to your situation, the idea that a person is the blacksmith of his own happiness is 100% true. All the best to you, good luck and Dimka a separate hello and good night from Uncle Doctor. Komarovsky Evgeny Olegovich

Poor sleep is an indicator that something is wrong in the body. And if an adult can have a lot of reasons that he is absent at night, then the anxiety of children is always alarming. What the problem may be, and what to do if the child sleeps restlessly at night - you will learn about all this and a few important points about children's sleep below.

Sleep patterns for a child

Since rest is a natural need for the body, it is sometimes difficult to judge how much a newborn should sleep. In general, he does not owe anything and sleeps as much as he needs in order to restore strength. But there are certain norms, going beyond which can mean problems and signal about.
The duration of the rest depends on the age. they sleep almost all the time, during the day - up to 3 hours, and at night - up to 6-7 without interruptions. Up to three months, the norm increases from 8 to 11 hours at night. By the age of two, 10-12 hours a night become the norm. Then the indicators decrease again, for about an hour. That is, the norm will be from 9 to 11 hours on average.

Important! In the first months of life, children fall asleep, passing through the initial stage of shallow falling asleep. Only then do they move into a deeper phase. Therefore, it is very important for the baby not just to put to sleep, but to lay and lull. This will make it easier for him to fall asleep.

Causes of restless sleep in children

Violations can be due to many reasons. Sometimes physiological loads affect, sometimes some medications. Sometimes the causes of disorders are neurological disorders, which sometimes occur in infants. The age of the baby will also be important. So, let's consider what can affect the fact that the child sleeps restlessly at night, and tosses and turns a lot.

A child 1-1.5 years old does not sleep well at night

There is an opinion among mothers that if a newborn is not awake during the day, then problems with sleep at night are provided. This is fundamentally wrong and quite the opposite. If the baby sleeps and rests well during the day, he will also sleep well at night. But the lack of rest during the day provokes whims, bad mood, excitability. This will immediately affect your sleep at night.

To disrupt the child's rest before - there can also be problems with. If it is wet, the baby does not sleep and cries. If he is too hot or cold, he will not sleep well either. The lack of fresh air can affect falling asleep and even provoke illness. Often mothers think that it is not necessary to ventilate the room at night, but this also affects sound sleep.

In general, this period in the life of a baby is very difficult. Superficial sleep prevails, so the child may toss and turn and whimper at night. Also, children can wake up from the fact that they have nightmares.

Did you know? Babies dream while still in the womb, from about -. It is not known why this is so, and what the dreams may be affected by. It is believed that they are due to the child's genetic memory, passed down from parents, grandmothers and even much older generations.

If a child does not sleep well at night at 1.5 years old, you need to check if he is sick. Frequent disturbances appear during illness, physical pain, and the like. It may also indicate neurological disorders. What to do in this case, a specialist will be able to suggest, to whom you should immediately contact for a consultation to identify more complex problems.

Causes of poor sleep in a child 2-4 years old

The reasons that affect the sleep of children aged 2- may also be poor conditions, too much nervous excitability and illness. Often there are cases when even a banal cold interferes with sleep, provokes nightmares and sudden awakenings in the middle of the night.

At this age, there may be disturbances in the sleep cycle, which will be reflected in rest. It is especially important at this time to try to instill a sleep-wake schedule in the child.
We should not forget that the newborn at this time remembers everything, so the quality of rest may be reflected in the problems seen and realized during the day. If you want to know why a child does not sleep well at night at 2 years old and constantly wakes up, try to analyze what can bother him during the day. A similar symptom can signal psychological problems, so you need to understand the excitement of the child and, if necessary, consult a doctor.

Causes of poor sleep in a child 5-7 years old

So, we do not exclude the possibility of illness and other complications. Also, in children of this age, after about 4 years, sleep-talking and somnambulism may appear. They also affect the duration and quality of rest. Sleepwalking can provoke just restless behavior, as if the baby is busy with something, or even walking and playing. In this case, the body is in a deep phase of rest. Also at this age, a night may appear, which will seriously complicate the life of not only parents, but also children. But until the age of 9, this problem disappears on its own.

Restless sleep symptoms

There are several main symptoms that are sure to occur with restless sleep in children. They include:

• , or in other words, bruxism. In this case, the baby may begin to breathe restlessly, the heartbeat quickens;
• trembling in sleep. They are characteristic of any person, but in this case they are pathological;
• enuresis, which is both a cause and a symptom of restlessness and frequent poor rest;
• if a child aged 2 years or older does not sleep well at night, shudders, wakes up constantly and whimpers or cries very often, this may indicate nightmares. A similar symptom signals sudden psychomotor agitation, accompanied by fear;
• respiratory failure of any kind.

The main mistakes of parents

One of the biggest mistakes parents make is ignoring signals that there are some problems. If they do nothing, do not monitor the situation, then this can lead to more serious violations. It is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner for advice, he will determine whether there is a danger in such a condition.

Important! Even overfeeding a child at night affects rest and does not contribute to strong rhythms of the deep phase of sleep. This is especially true for special ones that can be given to babies in the evening. Therefore, their use in restless sleep is best reduced or eliminated.

Mistakes that elders can still make include frequent quarrels and showdowns in front of the child, as this necessarily affects his subconscious as such. one of the parents often leads to restless sleep. Lack of communication with the mother can also be very traumatic for the baby. Dr. Komarovsky also highlights several other causes of restless sleep in a child, among them social isolation, a change of residence or a sudden change in regimen, and lack of parental rest.

When to See a Doctor

If symptoms and anxiety do not disappear by eliminating possible factors of action, awakenings become more frequent and are accompanied by nervous tantrums, then you should consult a doctor. So, if the baby has concomitant developmental disorders, speech or activity disorders, then you should also contact a neurologist. Of course, if the baby is sick, he is overestimated, and other symptoms of the disease - a pediatrician's consultation is required.

Ways to normalize sleep

Mom and Dad can also take a few steps to help normalize your little one's vacation. For example, try not to shout or speak loudly, create all the necessary conditions, follow the regime. All this will help the baby sleep better. So, why a child can stay up at night and cry is already becoming a little clearer, but here's what parents should do, you will learn in the tips below.

Maintaining a comfortable microclimate

Not only the quality of falling asleep depends on the microclimate in the room, but also the possibility of the appearance of diseases. It is very important to ventilate in time, provide fresh air, carry out regular wet cleaning and maintain cleanliness. Even how often bed linen is changed can affect behavior. For example, a newborn who smells bad from may be naughty and refuse to go to bed.

It is important that the baby is not cold, or, on the contrary, he is not very hot. Therefore, pay attention to how the room looks and try to create comfortable conditions.

Creating bedtime rituals

In order to ensure a better transition to sleep, instill in your child from an early age certain habits and rituals that will serve as a signal for bedtime. For example, make it a constant minimum collection of toys in the room, putting books in their places, changing into a certain type of clothing. Some parents introduce bedtime reading into the ritual. You can also create a habit of eating certain foods at night, such as a glass of warm milk.

Did you know? The official record for the amount of time spent without sleep belongs to Randy Gardner. At the age of 18, he did not sleep for 264.3 hours (11 days) without using any stimulants. The record was set in 1963.

Joint vacation with parents, despite many gossip, is not a bad idea, but rather the opposite.
In the first months of life, of course, it is necessary to accustom the baby to his own bed and sleep alone. But if he does not sleep well, tossing and turning, crying, then waking up next to his mother, the baby will feel comfort, safety, calmness, will be able to relax and sleep much better.

Compliance with the regime

From about a year and a half, a sleep and wakefulness regimen should be instilled. This will not only help parents, but also normalize the activity of the child throughout the day and in the evening. In addition, it has a good effect on the work of the brain and the alternation of phases of rest.

Glycine for bad sleep in a child

Many mothers face the problem of child abuse. Some pediatricians recommend it, while others strictly forbid it. Such a drug is considered rather not a therapeutic, but a vitamin supplement, which may well be used to maintain the strength of the body. At the same time, it is used not only to improve rest, but also to normalize all processes in general. The only thing that is not recommended is to often give it to a child at 2 years old and earlier, even if he does not sleep well and wakes up at night. This drug is designed for older children.
To the question of the acidity of glycine: it is kept at the level of citric acid or ascorbic acid, that is, it can be given within the normal range. But it is up to you to decide and preferably after consulting a doctor and his recommendations.

Poor sleep in children is not uncommon. Sometimes this is due to excitability or the inability to expend energy. Sometimes the cause can be more serious, up to nervous and psychological diseases. Therefore, it is very important to monitor your child and his sleep, notice changes in time and consult a doctor. This is a guarantee not only of his health, but also of your peace of mind.

One of the unpleasant moments that new parents face is the poor sleep of the newborn. Sleepless nights can unsettle anyone in a short time, and for a working dad they will become a real nightmare. If the child does not sleep well at night, you need to look for the causes and ways to solve the problem, due to the age period of the child's life.

The lack of a full night's sleep is very exhausting for both parents and the baby himself. In order not to get annoyed, you need to understand that the baby is not doing something out of harm - the problem has a specific reason that needs to be found

First half

Factors affecting a child's sleep vary as they grow up (recommended reading:). What parents perceive as disorders may turn out to be the norm. From the moment of birth, a newborn is in a dream almost around the clock. The duration of wakefulness is only 4 hours with breaks. The cyclicity of dreams in crumbs is also small - up to 45 minutes. Such short periods of time cause concern for the mother, although a similar biorhythm is observed in all children of one month of age.

From 2 to 3 months, the baby sleeps until 14-18 hours, but still does not distinguish day from night. He wakes up at any time of the day due to hunger or discomfort, then goes back to sleep. Every week, the little one is awake more and more during the day, until the body is completely rebuilt only for sleep at night (we recommend reading:).

It is a mistake to call all mothers reinsurers, because there are real reasons for concern. You should contact a specialist if:

1. the sleep of a newborn is less than 16 hours a day (we recommend reading:);
2. a monthly baby does not sleep for 5 hours or more;
3. the baby is in an excited state, which makes it difficult for him to fall asleep;
4. sleep during the day or night lasts from 5 to 15 minutes.

Serious disorders may underlie these disorders. The best thing that parents can do in this case is to show the child to a neurologist, and only then think about self-correction of sleep.

Factors affecting sleep quality from birth to 3 months

Among the common causes of sleep disorders, physiological ones are more common. Next comes the emotional state of the little one:

1. Waking up hungry is normal for a baby. During the first month of life, a newborn listens to his body, ignoring the regimen. All attempts to feed the baby by the hour can be a failure. If the baby woke up and cries for a long time, it is enough to offer food.
2. Discomfort also does not contribute to good sleep. A stuffed diaper, a wet diaper, too hot or cold - this is a list of factors due to which the child does not sleep well and often wakes up. At the first manifestations of poor sleep, you need to make sure that the baby is comfortable.
3. The work of the intestines in a new mode leads to increased formation of gases and colic. The child may not sleep well because of the pain. Colic bothers babies aged 3 weeks to 3 months, and attacks sometimes last for 3 hours. The main symptom of colic: the baby cries and grunts, draws his legs to his tummy. Prevention is regular laying on the stomach, and you can get rid of pain with the help of dill water. The advice of pediatricians also applies to proven medicines or laying the baby tummy to mom's stomach.
4. The older generation often makes remarks that young parents raise their children in greenhouse conditions. There are grandmothers who are sure that the child will sleep well even with noise or light. The famous doctor Komarovsky believes that everything should be in moderation. For a comfortable sleep, a calm environment and subdued light are needed.

During the first month, it is important for the child to feel the constant presence of the mother. If at the time of awakening he does not find the most dear person, then he begins to cry, which causes overexcitation. Emotional outbursts lead to the fact that the baby does not sleep well. In the case when the baby often wakes up at night, it makes sense to think about his "relocation" closer to his mother.

Sleep regression at 4 months

As soon as my mother sighed (the colic ended!), the so-called regression, or crisis, of sleep replaced the tummy, when suddenly the baby:

• begins to sleep restlessly both during the day and at night, often wakes up;
• difficult to "go to sleep";
• refuses to sleep in a wheelchair;
• sleeps for 20 minutes.

This condition is associated with the rapid growth and development of the crumbs, which is observed in the period from 3 to 5 months. In addition to the fact that the child is becoming more and more active in the world around him - learning to roll over, grasping toys, etc. - his sleep also changes and becomes similar to the dream of an adult. Now it consists of several phases - first, the baby plunges into a superficial sleep, and only then into a deep one, the period of which occurs just 15-20 minutes after falling asleep. The full cycle of sleep remains approximately the same - 35-45 minutes.

Of course, the previously mentioned factors continue to affect the quality of sleep - hunger, lack of comfort, noise, and even light from a night lamp.

Second half of life

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Closer to 6 months, mothers notice that the child is becoming more demanding and capricious. He can not only wake up at night, but also cry a lot, ask for his arms. It is not necessary to run to the doctor the next morning, because the reason for this behavior lies on the surface:

1. Too many impressions during the day lead to increased excitability. The kid actively crawls, gets acquainted with the outside world and new toys. The nervous system is not yet able to quickly perceive everything and put it neatly on the shelves. Night sleep suffers from this, even laying down a baby can be difficult - he tosses and turns, is naughty and does not fall asleep.
2. Hunger remains the second factor, since a six-month-old baby still needs food at night. Feedings are reduced in quantity, but they cannot be completely removed. After saturation, the baby will sleep peacefully.
3. It is important to observe whether the baby's first teeth are being cut. They appear by 6-8 months and can affect the behavior of the little one - in such a situation, he does not want to eat, cries and falls asleep badly. You can reduce pain with the help of special anesthetic gels. Before use, consult a dentist or pediatrician.

Problems at 1 year

Many mothers hope that their one-year-old baby will sleep well and soundly, then they are disappointed. Among the problems that cause such violations, experts have identified:

1. Lack of daily routine. The peanut falls asleep closer to midnight, sleeps almost until dinner. During the day, mobility and activity are reduced. A familiar picture? To avoid sleep problems, you should set the correct mode and give moderate physical activity while walking in the fresh air. As Komarovsky says, the more a child runs during the day, the better he sleeps.
2. A couple of hours before bedtime, you need to remove active games, turn down the volume on the TV and not give in to the baby's requests to put on a cartoon. Excessive emotions will lead to the fact that the child cannot fall asleep for a long time, fidgets, grunts, but does not swim away to the realm of Morpheus.
3. Not the best way out of the situation would be the rejection of daytime sleep. Some parents practice this in the hope that their child will surely fall asleep quickly in the evening. In fact, excessive fatigue and high arousal will cause problems with falling asleep and the quality of sleep.

Hunger is no longer the main reason that the baby sleeps restlessly. After 6 months, the need for night feedings is small, but the little one begins to manipulate adults (we recommend reading:). Parents need to establish a routine once and for all, without violating it under the onslaught of the child. It is enough to feed the baby well before bedtime so that he does not want to eat until the morning.

Difficulties with sleep at 1.5-2 years

At 1.5 years old, the same sleep problems can sometimes occur. If a child sleeps poorly at night, it is very easy to find “pain” points. The main factors are unchanged:

• a storm of emotions during the day;
• non-compliance with the regime;
• discomfort and hunger.

The problem is not why the little one is naughty and does not sleep, but in ways to calm him down. A child weighs a lot at 1.5-2 years old, you can’t get sick in your arms for a long time.

Among sleep disorders, a new factor appears: rich and vivid dreams. They are a reflection of the events that happened during the day, but very vulnerable children see nightmares. You can solve the problem if you do not fill the baby’s day with rich emotions, and if there is no result, you need to contact a neurologist or a child psychologist.

The older the child, the more likely he is to have night terrors. Fantasy does not allow you to fall asleep quickly: a monster appears on a chair, and something frighteningly moves outside the window. This is followed by a refusal to go to sleep without a light or a request to stay in the room with the parents. Whether or not the baby’s request is fulfilled, only mom and dad decide, but you need to be prepared for the fact that with a positive answer, the requirements will not disappear anywhere, just like the problem of falling asleep itself.

What can be done to improve sleep?

If your child does not sleep well at night, there are a few simple tips you can follow to improve the quality of sleep.