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Fussy sleepers test their parent’s patience. New research has compared parenting strategies to identify what really works for bedtime. This is important because inadequate sleep time causes children to have greater difficulty managing their emotions. Specific approaches can help to support a healthy temperament as the child develops. 

How much is enough? 

Pediatric sleep recommendations emphasize that children need a lot of sleep. Growing bodies need plenty of downtime because childhood development is an energy-intensive process! Compared to adults, they need much more time to fully recover between bouts of wakefulness.

The total amount of sleep time includes the nighttime sleep session and daytime naps, and should reach these ranges:  

• Infants 4 to 12 months of age need 12 – 16 hours
• 1 to 2 years of age need 11 – 14 hours
• 3 to 5 years of age need 10 – 13 hours
• 6 to 12 years old need 9 – 12 hours
• 13 to 18 years old need 8 – 10 hours

Curtailed sleep leads to behavior issues:

In the short-term, crankier kids

When someone needs a nap, you can tell! Parents know that when young children are tired, they throw more tantrums. And when adolescent and teenage children are tired, they continue to have more emotional outbursts that increase parent-child conflict. The truth is that fatigue is fertile ground for a negative attitude at any age!

One night of poor sleep takes it’s toll. Regulating emotions takes a lot of brain power, but a child that slept too little does not have the mental reserves to temper their reactions. Instead of developing self-regulation skills, a tired infant or child rarely has the energy to handle stressors with grace. 

In the long-term, sleep quality influences mental health

A period of poor sleep can have negative ripple effects through the whole family. Children with chronic sleep issues have more emotional outbursts. Like any patterned behavior, they can develop habits for how they deal with stress. The longer their sleep problems persist, the more likely they develop psychological issues. A good night’s rest helps the brain process emotions, grow and develop.

Research suggests that as a sleep-deprived child matures, their inability to regulate emotions is gradually internalized. This leads to a more negative inner dialogue and increases the risks of stress-related mood disorders. For example, studies in adolescents find that those with worse mental health were more likely to have sleep problems as young children.

The risk of later life anxiety and depression in poor sleepers remains well into adulthood. Children who had sleep and emotional assessments were followed for 14 years to see if there was a connection between sleep habits and wellbeing. The results revealed that childhood sleep problems were a major risk factor for mood disorders in adulthood. In another study, almost half (46%) of children (aged five to nine) who had sleep problems were diagnosed with an anxiety disorder by age 21, (a 13% higher prevalence than for children who did not have sleep problems).

As sleep issues become more severe, they predict more serious long-term issues. For instance, compared to five-year-old’s without sleep problems, those with severe sleep problems were almost twice as likely to develop depression before age 35. Together, these research studies highlight the importance of establishing healthier sleep habits for our quality of life. 

Sleep support to the rescue

Luckily, researchers have identified best practices in parental sleep-support that benefit a child’s temperament. This relates to how our children handle emotions and regulate their behavior.

For children 2-9 years of age:

• Passive techniques work better: The tactics parents use were sometimes passive (gentle cuddling, singing, talking, reading) while others opted for physically-active options, such as walking, buckling up for car rides, or playing with toys. Parent with a heavier reliance on passive strategies had more success with bedtime. 

For adolescents & teens: 

• Help them create a set bedtime routine: At this age, your children understand the goal of sleep but may not be able to regulate their evening routine to prioritize enough sleep. Parents should talk about consistent sleep patterns with adolescents to ensure they understand its importance. There is a strong connection between adolescent sleep quality and the sleep habits their parent’s model, so be willing to embody healthy sleep habits yourself! 
• Limit electronics: Late-night cell phone and computer use keep the brain alert. Bright electronic devices used at night are directly related to sleep duration in this age group, so limiting their use is one way to encourage more sleep. Teens are especially sensitive to loss of control and reluctant to lose access to online games and personal devices. Use respectful conversations to build trust around the issue before identifying how to limit their exposure to bright electronics at night.

For all children (and their parents):

• Activity timing: Just as the sleep-wake pattern should be consistent, so should the timing of exercise sessions. Many children first experience insomnia because of insufficient physical activity. An active lifestyle can make getting to sleep much easier, so plan activity at least 2-3 hours before bedtime.
• Storytelling: Research continues to taut the benefits of hearing a story as we fall asleep. In young children, hearing a story just before sleep onset may have a calming, therapeutic effect that reduces anxiety. These don’t need to be new stories each night. In fact, the repetition of a familiar story can enhance word-learning in young children as they sleep. Storytelling can significantly improve sleep quality according to studies in children with sleep disorders. Similar benefits occur for young adults who listen to audiobooks to unwind before sleep. Audiobook listening habits in adults reveal that more adults are using audiobooks for a relaxing pre-sleep ritual, too!

Treo supports sleep

Our members gain access to many tools for sleep support. They also have the option of tracking their sleep as well as other habits, and working one-on-one with a Wellness Coach if they seek more personalized guidance. To help members with sleep, in 2022, Treo began offering a series of audio Sleep Stories accessible the Treo Whole-person Platform. Most members use these on their own quest for relaxation before bed, but many have played them for children who need a calming audio experience. If you are interested in learning more, please get in touch! Info@treowellness.com