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Sleep is vital for children to continue mental and physical growth. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that children, aged 6 to 13, require 9 to 11 hours of sleep to promote optimal well-being. Proper rest allows the body and mind to recover and rejuvenate after each day. Sleep also supports growth and development, which triggers the body to release the hormone that promotes normal growth in children and teens, and also boosts muscle mass and helps repair cells and tissues.
Parents should help their children maintain healthy sleep habits and patterns to continue growth and optimal health. It also helps muscle growth, repair tissues and synthesize hormones. Despite the importance of sleep, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 6 out of 10 children were not obtaining enough sleep each night. As children become older, their schedules expand with additional schoolwork and extracurricular activities, which may cause stress and hinder their ability to get an adequate amount of sleep. They also engage in various entertainment technologies more frequently, which also may distract children from going to sleep. These stressors and distractors may negatively affect their sleep and lead to a decrease in overall health.
Children who do not meet the level of recommended sleep per night have a higher risk of diabetes, obesity, poor mental health and behavioral issues. Lack of sleep also can worsen certain disorders, such as anxiety, bipolar disorder or depression, and school performance may decrease with continued sleep deficiency. Sleep deficiency in children also can create many other physical, emotional and mental symptoms, including:
- Difficulty waking up and staying awake throughout the day
- Yawning frequently during the day
- Complaints of tiredness or wanting to nap during the day
- Preferring to lie down during the day, even if it means missing fun activities
- Falling asleep or drowsiness at school or at home
- Wanting to consume unhealthy stimulants, such as caffeine or sugar
- Reduced immune system function, creating a high risk of contracting an illness
- Lack of interest, motivation and attention for everyday tasks
- Increased forgetfulness
- Blurred vision
- Difficulty learning new information
- Increased moodiness and irritability
- Increased impulsivity
- Increased stress throughout the day
Sleep helps maintain a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry – ghrelin, or full – leptin. When a child does not get sufficient sleep, their ghrelin level increases and leptin levels decrease, causing children to feel hungrier than usual. An increased appetite also can put children at risk for craving or eating unhealthy foods. Sleep also affects how the body reacts to insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels. With an increased appetite and blood sugar level, the risk for diabetes becomes higher in those who do not receive sufficient sleep each night.
Please refer to the child sleep aid tips for ways to help your child receive proper sleep. If your child has sleep issues, please contact your primary care physician or pediatrician.
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