Why sleep is so important for your child’s development
You know how things are after a poor night’s sleep – there is usually crying or whining, and a meltdown could occur at the drop of a hat.
I don’t have to tell you twice that your child needs sleep. You see how it affects their mood and behavior every day.
But, the bigger questions are…
Why is sleeping so important to your child’s long-term success?
How exactly does poor sleep affect your child’s health & development?
What can you look for as a parent to make sure your child is getting developmentally appropriate sleep?
What are some helpful tips & natural remedies you can use to help your child get the sleep they need?
I’m here to answer all of your questions.
Let’s get into it!
Why is Sleeping So Important for Kids?
Aside from the simple fact that kids need sufficient sleep to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on their day, sleep directly impacts your child’s long-term health.
Your child’s sleep affects their brain in a BIG way.
Specifically, things related to cognitive function and performance, like…
Emotional regulation
Attention span
Learning abilities
Memory
Immune function
Energy
Overall brain health [1]
Did you know a child’s brain develops more from birth to age 5 than any other time in their life? [2] And after that, it continues to go through critical developmental periods all the way until their mid-late twenties.
As you can imagine, because these crucial development stages happen at a young age, early brain development has a lasting impact on your child’s ability to learn and develop skills they’ll need throughout their life. [3]
What Are the Effects of Poor Sleep?
While one restless night may lead to a cranky kiddo, it won’t have much of an effect on your child’s health long-term. So try not to stress the occasional late night!
But struggling with sleep issues consistently – staying up well past bedtime, having trouble falling asleep, getting out of bed during the night – can have serious consequences.
The possible effects of poor sleep during childhood include:
Learning problems
Stunted growth
Poor mood, or mood disorders
Frequent illness
Higher body mass, or weight
This is largely due to the fact that poor sleep hurts not only the brain but the immune system and hormones, too. [7]
These internal systems are essential to keeping your child healthy. And when your kiddo’s “battery” isn’t charged by sleep, these systems can’t function effectively.
What to Look for When It Comes to Sleep.
As a naturopathic pediatrician, parents often ask me how to know if their child is having developmentally appropriate sleep.
This is an excellent question!
Here are 3 things to look for when it comes to your child’s sleep:
1. Are they getting enough hours?
Getting the proper amount of sleep is important, especially while kids are still developing. Now, “enough” varies from child to child depending on age.
Use the numbers below as a general guideline:
Infants
Hours: 14-17 hours a day, waking approx. every 2-4 hours to be fed.
*Please note: It is developmentally normal to have no specific routine with infants. It’s also normal to have fluctuating sleep patterns due to teething, developmental leaps, and first sicknesses.
Toddlers
Hours: 11-14 hours a day, including 1-2 daytime naps.
Bedtime: ~ 6:00 PM - 7:00 AM
Young Kids
Hours: 10-13 hours a day
Bedtime: ~ 7:30 PM - 7:30 AM
Teens
Hours: 9+ hours a day
Bedtime: ~ 8:00 PM - 6:30 AM
If this recommended schedule looks different than your child’s, don’t sweat it! These are simply good numbers to aim for – it’ll never look perfect.
2. How are they breathing?
There’s a ton of research that suggests the importance of nasal breathing while you sleep, primarily for brain health. [8] Breathing through the mouth, or snoring (unless your child is acutely sick), can lead to sleep disorders that could have a serious negative impact on health.
So pay attention to your kiddo’s breathing while they’re asleep! If your child is doing either of the above, I recommend speaking with your trusted pediatrician or an airway-focused dentist.
3. What does their energy look like while they’re awake?
If your child is getting appropriate sleep, they shouldn’t show significant fatigue throughout the day. Deep, restful sleep in older children should have them feeling energized when they wake up, rather than feeling like they need to take a nap after lunch (especially for older kids).
If your child is excessively sleepy throughout the day, this could be a sign of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and I recommend consulting with their healthcare provider.
Now that you know what to look for as a parent, let’s talk about HOW you can help your child get the sleep they need! Because as much as you want to protect your child’s health, it isn’t always easy…
A Quick Word on Bedtime Routines.
Before I dive into natural remedies for sleep, I want to say a quick word on bedtime routines, because I feel like I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention them!
There are a ton of benefits to walking your child through a few calming steps at the same time every night before bed.
For starters, kids thrive on routine. Children feel a sense of security and confidence when they can predict what activities are ahead of them.
There’s also a growing pile of research that supports the idea that bedtime routines improve children’s sleep.
One study found that bedtime routines lead to:
An earlier bedtime
Less time trying to fall asleep
Reduced waking throughout the night
Increased time asleep
Improved sleep of the caregiver [9]
Some things to consider including in your child’s bedtime routine are:
No electronics for 60 minutes prior to sleep.
Blue light from TVs, computers, and tablets may suppress melatonin, the hormone that controls sleep, making it harder for your child to settle down. [10]
Give them an Epsom salt bath.
Warm baths are soothing in their own right. But the magnesium your child absorbs during an Epsom salt bath acts as an additional sleep aid.
End your kiddo’s bath with a quick massage! Magnesium & gentle appropriate touch helps promote deep sleep by supporting the parasympathetic nervous system, the system responsible for helping us relax. [11]
Make a warm cup of herbal tea.
Certain herbs affect neurotransmitters in the brain that are connected to the nervous system. These help lower anxiety, relax the body, and ultimately promote quality sleep! [12]
Speaking of tea – let’s move on to my favorite remedies for sleep!
Top Natural Remedies for Sleep.
Herbal medicine comes in many forms: capsules, dried leaves, and liquid tinctures to name a few.
For the purpose of helping your child sleep, I recommend using the leaves to make a warm cup of tea or using herbal glycerite in the hour or two leading up to lights out.
Here are my top herbal remedies for sleep:
1. Kalmerite Glycerite: This elixir contains a handful of sleep-promoting herbs (chamomile, lavender, and lemon balm to name a few) that calm the nervous system.
It’s perfect for kiddos who are fussy before bed, as this blend of herbs promotes a balanced mood along with feelings of well-being.
2. Chamomile Tea: This gentle herb lowers the stress hormone, cortisol, which is what makes it such an awesome natural calming agent. [13]
Making a cup of warm tea in the hour or two leading up to bedtime is a soothing way to help your child wind down. You can also add a strong chamomile tea to their bathtub for extra support!
3. Lavender Essential Oils: Lavender interacts with the GABA system (a neurotransmitter in the brain) to calm both brain and nervous system activity, helping the body and mind relax. [14]
For ages 12 months+, put an essential oil diffuser in the bedroom and let it run for about 30 minutes before bed.
Remember, quality is so important when buying essential oils!
4. Homeopathic Pulsatilla: This remedy is well indicated for children who are hyper or uncomfortable before bed – or wake up in the middle of the night restless, crying, and wanting comfort.
If you’ve taken my homeopathy course, you already know exactly how to administer this remedy to your kiddo!
5. Valerian Root: This plant interacts with both GABA and serotonin receptors to lower anxiety and promote deep sleep. [15]
This herb may have the greatest effects when taken regularly, so it’s a wonderful addition to your child’s bedtime routine each night!
6. Passionflower: This purple flower helps calm the mind and nervous system by interacting with the GABA system, as well as MAO activity. [16]
You can administer this to your child in tea or tincture form. Passionflower is also an ingredient in Kalmerite Glycerite. ^
7. Lemon Balm: This herb has soothing properties that relieve stress and boost mood, helping your kiddo calm down when they’re restless. [17]
Like passionflower, lemon balm is included in Kalmerite Glycerite (see why it’s one of my favorite sleep products?), but you can use it on its own and experience great benefits.
Visit my online store here to purchase these natural remedies for sleep for 15% off!
*Please note: I recommend speaking with your trusted healthcare provider before administering a new remedy to your child to find proper dosing.
What Should You Do If None of This Works?
Few things are more frustrating than wanting to do what’s right for your child’s health and feeling like you’re battling to make it happen.
If your child has trouble falling asleep or sleeping through the night, you’re not alone. As a naturopathic pediatrician, I work with a lot of parents who fight the same nightly battles around bedtime.
But addressing your child’s sleep issue is important. It may be a good idea to consult with your trusted provider and seek help from a sleep specialist.
If you think this might be the next best step for your family, I encourage you to reach out to me! I work closely with an incredible sleep specialist who I’d love to recommend to you.
A Foundation of Health.
At the end of the day, getting high-quality sleep is just as important as getting enough nutrients in your child’s diet.
Although it’s one (important!) piece of the puzzle that I often see pushed aside in the conversations around health.
But now that you know just how critical sleep is to your child’s healthy development, I encourage you to make this a priority!
And remember to consider your child’s sleep if they’re struggling with a health issue. Sleep might just be the area that needs a little attention in order to help your child thrive.
To learn more about the foundations of health, hop on my email list! I love sharing helpful tips & offerings to help your kiddo live up to their full potential.
