Not Sleeping Well In Preschool Age Can Lead To Future Behavior Problems

Like adults, children need healthy habits.  Good rest is essential to replenish energy.

Not getting a good night’s sleep in preschool could lead to different behavior problems later in life. Without adding endless consequences, they are very unhealthy.

If little ones don’t get enough sleep, they are more vulnerable to:

• Having difficulties in processing information appropriately.
• Control their emotions and behavior as they grow.
• Suffering from cognitive problems and inattention.

These conclusions have been obtained from studies such as the one published in the journal Academic Pediatrics in 2017, carried out in a sample of 1046 children by a team of American researchers.

How much sleep time is recommended for a child to sleep well?

Children between 3 and 5 years of age have approximately 10 to 13 hours of sleep, including naps. This is indicated by a report prepared by the American Association of Sleep Medicine (AAMS, for its acronym in English).

Naps and their influence on children’s sleep

Preschoolers are very active, they are very dynamic. For this reason, they need to nap for about an hour daily.

Even if they do not fall asleep, this nap time can be used to play quietly, calm down from their tasks in the morning, and so on.

Tips for children when going to bed

• It is convenient to set times to go to bed. Once the time is set, we will notify the little ones when half an hour is missing, so that they can get ready. Also at 10 minutes, so they know it’s time to go to bed.
• Do not give too much food or drink at night in the moments before the child goes to bed.

• The bed should only be used (in the case of children) to sleep. You have to get used to not playing games or watching television. In bed you are to relax and sleep.
• Allow the child to put on his favorite pajamas and choose the stuffed animal to take to bed. This will help you, especially at times when you least feel like retiring to your room.
• We can set the mood in your room, play soft music, avoid electronics or video games, dim the lights, use a sweet voice, etc.

The benefits of sleeping well in children

Getting enough rest and a good night’s sleep is essential for children’s physical and mental health. Especially in his school age.

While children sleep, their brain rests and so does their entire body. The next day they will have more energy, they will be fresher and more active.

Children who sleep more have better levels of alertness and reflexes, better regulate their emotions, and perform better in school. In addition, they are less irritable and have less sleepiness during the day.

The problem with digital displays

One of the main reasons that children who do not sleep well or get enough rest is that,  in many cases, there is no set time for going to bed.

• There are many screens (television, mobile phones, computer, etc.) that are a source of significant distraction. In some cases, children have some of these devices in their room.
• Thus, they spend hours of sleep to watch a television program, play video games or communicate with their friends on social networks.

Although poor sleep can have serious consequences for children, this problem can have a simple solution. It is enough to make small changes in daily life. Thus, minors could add half an hour of sleep or more, enough to have a significant impact.

Attention disorder

A sleep deficit can have consequences that go beyond what would be poor performance in school or behavioral problems.

Young children can develop what is called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as indicated by the study mentioned above, which causes them to be too fast or in a crazy rhythm during the day.

Specialists in the field assure that this type of sleep disturbances has a solution, and with this the behavior problems associated with it can be improved.

In short, getting children adequate rest at night is key to their cognitive and emotional development. That is why we recommend consulting with a doctor in the event that your son / daughter has complications sleeping at night.