Sleep is crucial to early childhood development. Not only does it give kiddos the chance to shut their eyes and expand their creativity through dreaming, but sleep is necessary for physical and mental development. We spoke withDr. Russell Horton, DO atBanner Health Center Queen Creekto learn the signs to look for when deciding if your toddler isn’t sleeping enough and discover helpful tips that will make bedtime a breeze.
Signs Your Toddler Isn’t Sleeping Enough
More than likely, you’re not watching your toddler the entire time they are sleeping. Sometimes, toddlers can wake up in the middle of the night and entertain themselves for hours. Know the signs for sleep deprivation in toddlers:
- They are napping in short car rides
- They are cranky and irritable in the late afternoon
- It is hard to get your child out of bed in the morning
- They are inattentive, impatient or aggressive
- They have trouble focusing
“10-12 hours is the goal when it comes to how long toddlers should sleep,” Dr. Horton says, “Some toddlers may sleep longer. You can include some of this time in nap time. But, sometimes taking too many naps can interrupt your child’s bedtime.”
How to Make Sure Your Child Gets More Sleep
There are many steps you can take to ensure your little one is getting enough rest. Use these tips to incorporate healthy sleeping habits:
- 执行一个nap schedule and stick to it
- 睡前避免屏幕时间30分钟
- Create a consistent bedtime routine
- Keep bedrooms quiet, dark and at a comfortable temperature
- Avoid large meals and sugar right before bedtime
- Make sure your kids are active during the day
Sleep is vital for young, growing brains. “A lot of development, growth and connections are made during sleep. If a toddler is waking up frequently for naps, snacks, water or to go to parent’s bed, it’s disrupting the regenerative longer sleep stretches. These stretches are very important to ensure growing brains receive all the rest they can get.” says Dr. Horton.
The most important thing you can do is be a great role model. When you show your kids you have healthy sleeping habits, they’ll want to do the same. If your child is still having a hard time going to sleep or staying asleep after incorporating the tips above,vwin.comac德赢官方首页 to see if it is a sign of alarger issueand to discusstreatment options.
