Surprising Benefits When Kids Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep at night is important for all of us but especially children. When kids regularly get the proper amount of sleep it not only makes mornings easier and more pleasant, but it also has some pretty surprising benefits for their mind, body and overall wellbeing. It can affect their mood, concentration, behavior and even their health.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:
- Infants under 1 year: 12-16 hours
- Children 1-2 years old: 11-14 hours
- Children 3-5 years old: 10-13 hours
- Children 6-12 years old: 9-12 hours
- Teenagers 13-18 years old: 8-10 hours
Tips for setting up a bedtime routine:
- Limit or avoid caffeine.
- Try to have a set bedtime every night. This will make it easier for them to fall asleep.
- Try to limit screen time at least an hour before bed and designate this as reading time. You can read together, or they can lay in bed and look at books.
- Keep the room cool and dim when it’s time to sleep.
Here are just a few of the helpful articles we have found on the subject:
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep
https://www.soundofsleep.com/10-health-benefits-of-quality-sleep/
https://www.hopkinsallchildrens.org/ACH-News/General-News/The-importance-of-sleep-for-kids