Is Your Child Having Trouble Sleeping? This Might Be the Culprit
|Is Your Child Having Trouble Sleeping? This Might Be the Culprit
Is your child more tired than usual? Are they crankier and easily irritated lately? Are they constantly sleepy and lacking in energy – when that is something unusual for their age?
If your child is more exhausted than the usual – they may not be having enough sleep. Children have stringent requirements of sleep. The older they become, the less sleep they require but it doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be meeting the required hours for their age.
Sleep is important for anyone, most especially children as it promotes growth, better immunity, and of course higher energy throughout the day. So if your child looks tired, check out how much sleep they are logging on everyday.
Are they getting enough sleep? If not, that explains why they are so worn out. Is your child having trouble sleeping? There are a many reasons that could explain it. Below are a few:
Too much time screen time.
The adults aren’t only the guilty ones in this. Addiction to technology is not limited to adults, it can happen to the children as well. Our electronic devices do not just give us convenience, it provides entertainment too which children get addicted to.
Too much electronic device activity can stimulate their brain long enough until bed time. On top of that, the blue light that the gadgets emit suppresses the release of melatonin. This is a hormone that regulates our sleep. The lower your child’s melatonin level is, the harder it is for them to fall asleep.
This is not saying technology is bad for children – they are actually good when the use is regulated. Some gadgets are educational and there are many educational materials online – but too much is just too much.
Technology is good when used in moderation. Be wary also on their gadget schedule. If it can be avoided hours nearing bed time, do that.
Room not conducive for sleeping.
The room where your child sleeps could also be the reason why they are sleep-deprived. If the room isn’t conducive for that, the child will obviously have trouble sleeping.
Make sure the temperature of the room where your children sleep is just right. It shouldn’t be too hot nor too cold – as any of these two extreme temperatures can disturb your child’s sleep. If you have a programmable thermostat, make the most of it to maintain the ideal temperature of the room.
Check out your children’s bed also. How long have you been using the mattress? Do remember that old mattresses no longer provide the same body support it offered when it was brand new.
In time, mattresses should retire as well.
Aside from hygienic purposes, it may not be serving its purpose anymore – it’s no longer good for sleep. Your child could wake up often because the mattress is no longer comfortable to sleep on. If you find it too cumbersome to buy one, you can actually buy a mattress in a box for your convenience.
Inspect your mattresses’ firmness also, it shouldn’t be too hard or too soft. It should allow your child to move comfortably during sleep. If you find your mattresses too hard, you can add a mattress topper to add in some softness. If you do not know where to look for this, you can buy a mattress topper online. In fact, you can also buy mattress online.
Make sure the pillows are comfortable also. They should also have the right firmness and their height should be just right for your child’s neck.
You see, your child shouldn’t be exhausted most of the time. You can help your child sleep better. Limit their gadget usage and make sure their room is conducive for sleep. With these, you can ensure that your child will have better quality sleep. Is your child having trouble sleeping? If so, I hope this article is helpful to you.
Guest Article.