The importance of sleep to children
1. What is the importance of sleep for children?
Sleep quality has an important influence on children's height. According to research, children grow three times faster when they are asleep than when they are awake. This is because the pituitary gland at the bottom of the brain can secrete more growth hormone after the child falls asleep, and the role of growth hormone is to promote the growth of bones, muscles, connective tissues and internal organs; Children before puberty secrete growth hormone only when they sleep. So you have to understand that sleep is not only a child's need for rest, but also a catalyst for promoting physical development.
2. What are the hazards of children's lack of sleep?
2. 1, affecting children's development
Children often snore, grind their teeth, sleep unease, sleep apnea, talking and sleepwalking are also manifestations of the disease.
2.2, affect children's intelligence
Many children breathe with their mouths open and get headaches, dry mouth or irritability in the morning. Some children just show that they are easy to get tired and doze off during the day, while school-age children show inattention in class and decline in academic performance.
Lack of sleep at night will also disturb the normal secretion of growth hormone, damage the immune system, endocrine disorders, metabolic problems, easy to get fat.
2.3, affect children's alertness:
In daily life, children's playful nature makes them unwilling to go to bed at the time stipulated by their parents. But in fact, lack of sleep may lead to poor performance in school, poor academic performance and many accidents.
3. What are the reasons for children's poor sleep?
3. 1, environmental factors
Including the sleeping place is too noisy and stuffy, or the clothes are covered too much or too little. In principle, "indoor" babies need the same amount of clothes as adults, and then cover them with blankets or thin quilts when they sleep.
3.2, the baby's stomach is uncomfortable
Babies of any age may not sleep well because of flatulence, fecal accumulation or simple colic. The treatment is nothing more than massaging the baby's stomach with peppermint oil, or measuring the anal temperature with an anal thermometer to stimulate anal defecation. If the above methods can't solve the baby's crying or restless sleep, take it to a pediatrician to find out the reason.
3.3, infant infection
Common infections include colds, otitis media, pharyngolaryngitis, bronchiolitis, pneumonia, gastroenteritis, and rare infections such as meningitis and septicemia may cause babies to sleep restlessly. Some infections can be combined with fever, and each infection often has its own special manifestations, so when it is combined with restless sleep, parents often have sought the help of doctors.
How to judge that children need sleep?
Experts pointed out that with the increase of age, the waking time/playing time and nighttime sleep time of babies born to 1 year-old gradually become longer, while the nap time and nighttime waking time gradually become shorter.
When the baby is tired and needs to sleep, the baby will do some actions to hint that he/she is ready to sleep. A moment ago, the baby may have a good time. After a while, he/she may show fidgety or mutter, be distracted or stop cooperating with your activities, clench his/her fist, rub his/her eyes or yawn. If these signs of fatigue are dealt with by parents in time, it will improve the baby's sense of security and reduce the number of times the baby cries in a period of time.
How to let children sleep well?
1, let the baby feel the sleeping atmosphere.
It is difficult for everyone to stay awake when dozing off, so instead of waiting until the baby wants to sleep, it is better to put the baby on the bed in advance, create a sleepy atmosphere for the baby, such as a quiet surrounding environment, and let the baby gradually lose interest in people and toys.
2. Give your baby a sense of security
The baby is young, ignorant of the world, easily frightened, and even has some natural reactions to sleep. So let the baby feel enough security, such as wrapping the baby with face or gauze in summer and wrapping the baby with a soft scarf in winter.
3. Arrange bedtime for your baby.
Many people have routines before going to bed, such as brushing their teeth, applying masks and soaking their feet. Let the baby feel these routines before going to bed, and then calm down and fall asleep quickly. In the early stage of the baby's growth, the mother can give the baby a "relaxation bath" before going to bed every day, so that the baby can relax physically and mentally, go to sleep in advance and sleep more soundly.
4. Give your baby a magical massage
Mother's gentle fingertips are the best touch for the baby and create a quiet and peaceful night for the baby. A study by the University of Miami found that massage before going to bed makes it easier for children to fall asleep.
5. Sing a song for your baby.
The good memories of the baby in the mother's belly can be awakened by the lullaby that the mother hummed repeatedly. The baby's music is like a heartbeat with the mother's melody, which makes the baby feel safe and fall asleep quickly. Therefore, if the mother hums a lullaby to the baby at night, the effect is very good.