Aug 17, 2024

Sleep and Your Kids’ Brains

As the summer holidays wind down and the start of the new school year approaches, it’s time to think about getting back into a regular sleep routine.

The relaxed schedules of the holidays often lead to later bedtimes, but it's crucial to re-establish a consistent sleep pattern before school starts again.

Here’s why getting enough sleep is vital for your child’s health, learning, and social experiences.

Signs that your child is sleep deprived

You might think that pushing bedtime back a bit is ok during the holidays. It’s obviously not life or death, but there are definitely consequences to your child missing out on much-needed sleep.

Sleep deprivation can lead to changes in behaviour and can have impacts on health. Just a few missed hours of sleep can affect your child’s ability to function optimally.

The Sleep Lady, Kim West has compiled a list of things to watch for that might indicate that your child is sleep deprived:

"-Overly emotional (explosive temper tantrums, easily hurt feelings, no patience)
-Difficult to wake in the morning
-Difficulty concentrating or focusing during play
-Taking long, or excessive naps
-Hyperactivity
-Defiant or contrary behavior
-Difficulty falling asleep (overtired)
-Falling asleep as soon as they hit the pillow (sleep should take about 20 minutes for a healthy sleeper)
-Increased appetite
-Accident prone, or clumsy
-Excessive talking (more questions than normal or frenzied conversation)"

If you've noticed your child’s behaviour changing, maybe it’s time to assess their sleeping schedule.

Just how much sleep does your child need?

At each stage, your child's needs will change when it comes to how much sleep they need and how long they will sleep for at a stretch.

Just a few lost hours can throw off a child’s balance.

Dr. Michele Borba explains: "Lack of sleep can have a serious impact on children's abilities to learn and perform at school. In fact, in one study, Tel Aviv University researchers found that missing just one hour of sleep can be enough to reduce a child's cognitive abilities by almost two years the next day. For example, a sixth grader who loses precious zzz's the night before a big test could end up performing at a fourth-grade level."

In that case, your child’s true ability is not being tested, since they are not functioning at their normal level. This affects your child’s overall scores in a negative way and doesn’t accurately measure their ability or their level of understanding on a regular day.

When your child is tired, you may notice that they sometimes space out. This is because their brain is temporarily shifting into microsleep. This makes focusing next to impossible.

Studies have shown that without sufficient sleep, remembering new information is difficult too. Even recalling things you’ve already learned can be a challenge.

Peg Rosen of Understood.org expands on that issue: "Overtired kids may work more slowly because it’s tough for them to remember what they’ve just heard or read. When they learn a new math formula, for example, they may forget it by the next day."

This will be frustrating to your child, who might struggle to keep up in school as a result of this lost information.

The emotional toll

Your child is more likely to act out if they haven’t had sufficient rest.

Mood swings, depression, hyperactivity, clumsiness and difficulty falling asleep are just a few potential side-effects of overtiredness.

Many children will cry in their sleep if they are overtired too, making life difficult for parents who awaken repeatedly to the sounds of their children crying in the nighttime.

How can you help your kids get back on schedule?

Set a Schedule: Establish a consistent bedtime routine. For example, start with a bath, followed by putting on pyjamas, reading a book, and then going to sleep.

Soothing Scents: Use calming scents like lavender in their bathwater or in a diffuser to help ease them into a restful state. Avoid night lights where possible, as artificial light can disrupt sleep.

Limit Distractions: Turn off all blue-light-emitting screens at least an hour (ideally more) before bedtime. Blue light can disrupt sleep hormones for significant periods.

Bedtime Snacks: Eating the right foods before bed can help. Consider a bedtime smoothie with flax seed oil, warm milk, banana, honey, and cacao. Magnesium is also effective for promoting healthy sleep, especially when sprayed on for fast absorption.

However you manage it, ensuring that your child gets enough quality sleep will set them up for successful learning and development.

So if you got a little off track over the holidays, it’s time to make sleep a priority again. Your child will benefit from it and so will you!

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