The ABCs of getting ZZZs
A hearty night's sleep is as important to your child as a good breakfast.
Without enough shut-eye, children are more prone to struggle in school or on the
field, have regular meltdowns and suffer depression, studies show.
"Yet a whopping 69 percent of U.S. kids have one or more sleep problems a week,
says Jodi Mindell, M.D., vice chairwoman of the National Sleep Foundation. That
includes trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep. "Kids are sleeping less today
- about four hours less a week - than they did a decade ago," she says.
This can make it tough for your child to solve problems and memorize lessons, which
can lower grades and self-esteem. Sleep-starved kids are also more easily frustrated
and fidgety. A child's sleep trouble affects the whole family, she adds. "Parents
who are up coaxing a child to bed are robbed of their own valuable sleep."
The best cure, she says, is a consistent bedtime schedule. Stick to a bedtime that
permits your 3- to 5-year-old child to get 11 to 13 hours sleep. A school-age child
needs 10 to 11 hours. If the current bedtime is too late, move it 15 minutes earlier
each night. Tuck resisters back into their own beds, promptly and repeatedly, until
they get the message that you expect them to get to sleep on their own.
More sound advice for sound sleep Unplug the bedroom. Turn off TVs, computers and
cell phones. Better yet, keep such things out of the bedroom, which should be a
stimulation-free zone.
Set a wind-down routine. Start the transition to dreamland with dimmed lights and
a warm bath; end with reading a book. Avoid watching TV just before bedtime.
Go decaf. Drinking any caffeine during the day affects sound sleep. Caffeine lurks
not just in coffee and cola, but also in tea and chocolate.
Reduce daytime stimulation. Overbooked kids who rush from band practice to dance
class to dinner to homework may be too keyed up at bedtime to unwind. "We advise
one activity per season," says Dr. Mindell.
Get help. If, despite these measures, your child still resists bedtime, has nighttime
awakenings or snores, talk with your doctor.