Sleep is essential: as important as food, water and air. We can’t survive without it. Yet too many of us aren’t getting the sleep we need.
More than 30% of adults in the U.S. regularly get less sleep than they should. The same is true for kids — more than 30% of kids under 14 aren’t sleeping enough. Among high-school students, a whopping 75% sleep less than they should.
Here’s how to help you and your kids get better rest — and why it’s worth the effort.
The Importance of Sleep
While you’re snoozing, your body is hard at work: Organs and tissues repair themselves, your brain stores memories, and your immune system fights off germs. Sleep is especially important for children, as their bodies release hormones important for growth and development.
Over the long term, people who don’t get enough sleep are at greater risk for several chronic health problems, including obesity, heart disease and dementia.
Sleep is also critical for mood and behavior. Researchers have found that when people don’t get enough sleep, they are more likely to have challenges such as:
- Anxiety
- Behavioral problems, including aggression
- Depression
- Difficulties learning and making decisions
- Trouble focusing and remembering
- Stress
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
Sleep is a must for good health. Adults should aim for at least 7 hours per night, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Babies and children need even more sleep than grown-ups. Kids’ bodies grow quickly, adding extra inches every year. After puberty, physical growth slows down — but under the surface, teens’ brains are developing rapidly.
All of that growth takes a lot of energy, and sleep is a key ingredient in making it happen. Babies, kids and teens should meet these sleep goals every day:
- Up to 12 months: 12-16 hours (including naps)
- 1-2 years: 11-14 hours (including naps)
- 3-5 years: 10-13 hours (including naps)
- 6-12 years: 9-12 hours
- 13-18 years: 8-10 hours
Creating Healthy Sleep Routines
Ready to wake up feeling rested and refreshed? These 8 steps can help you and your family drift off to dreamland.
- Set the clock. Try to stick to a regular bedtime and wake-up time. When you follow a predictable rhythm, it’s easier to fall asleep.
- Make it daily. Getting extra rest on the weekends doesn’t make up for getting too little sleep the rest of the week. Instead of sleeping in on weekends, try to maintain the same sleep routine every day of the week so it becomes a healthy habit.
- Create a routine. Help your brain get ready for sleep by following a relaxing bedtime routine each night. Try some gentle stretches, reading a chapter in a book or writing a few lines in your journal. For small kids, a nighttime routine might be a bath, story and lullaby. Routines help big kids, too — for example, laying out clothes for the next day, charging their phone and showering.
- Get exercise. When you move during the day, it’s easier to sleep at night. That’s true for kids and grown-ups alike. To encourage more activity, make it a family affair: Bike together to the park in the afternoon or take a brisk walk after dinner.
- Unplug. Games, videos and social media keep your brain buzzing, making it hard to relax. Plus, devices give off blue light that interferes with your body’s natural sleep rhythms. Turn devices off about an hour before bed so you can start to unwind — and keep them out of the bedrooms so you’re not tempted to pick them up again.
- Turn down the lights. Bright light at night can make you feel more awake. In the evening, close curtains and dim the lights to signal to your body that it’s time to start getting sleepy.
- Keep it cozy. Arrange bedrooms to support good sleep. Get room-darkening curtains to shut out the light and use fans to cool the room when it’s hot. Clear books and toys off kids’ beds. Consider playing soft instrumental music or using a white noise machine to help drown out sounds from outside.
- Tuck yourself in. Set good habits for your little ones. If you’re staying up late to scroll on your phone, your kids will be tempted to follow in your footsteps. Do your best to put your own healthy sleep strategies in place. Your body and your kids will thank you!
Contact Us
If you have concerns or questions about sleep, a pediatrician or family medicine doctor can help. Find a doctor at MLK Community Healthcare or call 424-529-6755 to make an appointment.
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