Sleep
Do you realise the importance of sleep routines?
Having a set sleep routine has a number of benefits for your child. A routine will help your child’s brain to learn when it is wake time and when it is sleep time, and improve the quality of your child’s sleep. That should mean that they settle easier at night. This also allows your child to get the right amount of sleep.
Getting the right amount of sleep enables them to have a productive and positive day. Restrictions on sleep will also affect your child’s mood, particularly in younger children who are deprived of sleep. They can seem overactive, irritable, and are always seeking constant stimulation; such symptoms can be mistaken for mild ADHD.
The effect on your child’s mood can cause them to be unable to manage emotional challenges effectively, putting them at risk for future emotional and behavioural problems.
For the child to develop, evidence shows that night-time sleep is just as crucial as exercise and healthy eating. If your child does not have enough sleep, they will find it harder to get up in the morning, they will not be alert and, potentially, could be unhappy or grumpy for much of the day. For children under four years old, it is also recommended that they sleep during the day, as this sleep is still beneficial, and important to a child’s well-being and development.
