Are You Sleepy?
On March 9, 2017 by Calgary's ChildWritten by Dr. Susan Bartell; photo: Fotolia.com
Are you tired? Me too! But, guess what… your child or teen is probably even more tired. In fact, 80 per cent of teens, and nearly 70 per cent of kids under 10 are sleep-deprived. Sleep deprivation can be a significant problem for kids, interfering with almost every aspect of their lives.
Tiredness can make it difficult to learn and retain information in the classroom, cause distractibility and difficulties with attention, (it can be mistaken for ADHD) and may even result in a child falling asleep in school or while doing homework. Sleep deprivation may reduce a child’s motivation to participate in activities or cause kids to become cranky, impatient and badly behaved in social situations.
The first week in March (leading up to Daylight Savings Time in many areas) gives us an opportunity to consider the most common reasons that kids become deprived and then do our best to ensure that they get more sleep:
The sleep stealer: No time to sleep! Many kids and teens have schedules so busy that they simply can’t get to bed early enough to get at least eight hours of sleep.
The sleep solution: Cut down on extracurricular activities. This is the answer if your child doesn’t have time to do homework, eat, bathe and relax for 30 minutes before bed.
The sleep stealer: Too much screen time! When viewed right before bed, the TV, computer, cell phone or other electronic screens can interfere with your child’s ability to relax and dial back brain activity in preparation for sleep. In addition, too much screen time during the day wastes time, making it difficult for your child to complete all tasks and activities before bed.
The sleep solution: Turn off the screens. All ‘screens’ should be turned off at least 30 to 45 minutes before bedtime. Resist the urge to allow a TV in your child’s bedroom and ensure that, at night, the cell phone is also docked in another room. If your child can’t ‘resist’ the computer or handheld games, be sure to have strict, enforced rules to limit their use.
The sleep stealer: Wrecked routines! When your child’s bedtime is different each night, chaotic, loud or stressful, it is much more likely to result in difficulty falling and staying asleep. In addition, without a routine, your child is much less likely to get the recommended number of hours of shut-eye.
The sleep solution: Kids are much more likely to get enough sleep when they have a predictable, soothing bedtime routine. Start at the same time every night, and include bathroom activities, reading or a quiet game and then end with a short hug and kiss. Don’t get into bed with your child. Instead, teach them how to ‘self-soothe’ by encouraging them to fall asleep on their own – without your help.
The sleep stealer: As with adults, snoring can cause chronic sleep deprivation for kids because they never get a good night’s sleep, even if they seem to be getting enough hours of sleep. Some reasons that kids snore include enlarged tonsils or adenoids, being overweight, allergies and sleep apnea.
The sleep solution: Although it may seem minor, snoring is a sign that something is not quite right with your child’s health. When your child snores routinely (not just when they have a cold), it’s important to talk to their health professional about what may be causing it. Don’t quit searching for the answer until you find it! Your child may not know it now, but they will thank you later.
Dr. Susan Bartell is America’s #1 Family Psychologist. Her latest parenting book is The Top 50 Questions Kids Ask. You can learn more about her at www.drsusanbartell.com.
Recent Posts
Recent Posts
What’s Up This Week?
Looking for fun things to do this week? We've got exciting activities for the whole family in all quadrants of the city.View all...
Archives
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- November 2021
- October 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017