Sleep is an essential part of healthy child development. Sleep for infants, toddlers and children are vital for their growth and mental health. While adults also need a sufficient amount of sleep every night, children are going through rapid periods of growth and they count on sleep to get them through it. As children age, sleep becomes elusive. As children want to explore the “grown-up” idea of staying up late, they may be missing out on vital hours their body and mind needs to make sure it can get through the next day.
As children enter their tween stage, they are starting to flirt with the idea of independence, and that extends to the idea of sleep. They may start resisting a 'bedtime' and as they start grappling with challenges such as puberty, schoolwork and pressure from their peers; they need the sleep more than ever before. Sleep in school-aged children and tweens, ages ranging from 5 – 11, is important but there are habits that mom should be aware of.
The Basic Understanding Of Why
When wanting to understand something, it is always important to figure out the “why” of it all. According to the experts at Raising Children, sleep is critical for this age group. When they get enough sleep at night, they are going to be more settled, happy and mentally ready for school the next day. There has been enough evidence to prove that sleep helps children concentrate, remember things, regulate their emotions and behave appropriately.
While it may seem unrealistic, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has their guidelines on what the right amount of sleep is for a child among this age group. Children between the ages of 6 to 12 need 9-12 hours of sleep every night. The AAP also understands that this may not be practical for every single night, but they emphasize the importance of trying to stay as close to these times, as much as possible.
“Regularly sleeping fewer than the number of recommended hours is associated with attention, behavior, and learning problems. Insufficient sleep also increases the risk of accidents, injuries, hypertension, obesity, diabetes and depression.”
The Reality May Differ
While getting proper sleep seems easy, it is vital to remember that the reality of sleep for school-aged and tweens is not that simple, and there are a lot of roadblocks in the way of a good night’s sleep. According to Kids Health, children between the ages of 5 to 11 have a lot going on in their lives that may turn into “insomnia.”
At this age, children are dealing with a lot in their lives and it can range from having tests at school, to extracurricular activities, and continue on to chores they have to do at home. It is important to remember that at this age, children are just learning how to manage their time and while juggling multiple activities feels like “normal life” to adults, children are just starting to understand this concept.
The youth today are also facing challenges much different than what mom and dad faced when they were younger. Stressors in life can have an impact on the youth, which was pointed out by Archana Basu, a psychologist from Harvard University.
“In younger kids, psychological distress might manifest as new or worsening behavioral problems, difficulty separating from parents of caregivers, or somatic symptoms such as aches and pains or changes in sleep or appetite. Older kids can also experience somatic symptoms, as well as fear, nervousness, stress, irritability, and hypervigilance.”
This comes in reference to dealing with school issues, world issues (pandemic), and could be applied to the pressure of dealing with the world online as well.
Signs Of Sleep Deprivation
Since there is a large gap in this age group between the amount of sleep they should be getting and the amount of sleep they are actually getting, it is important to monitor for signs of sleep deprivation.
According to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, there are three main categories for sleep deprivation in children and tweens.
•Mood– A child’s mood may drastically change to become irritable, and “cranky.” They will also have a harder time regulating their emotions and may spur to anger a lot quicker than normal.
•Behavior– Behavior is also set to change when a child is not getting enough sleep, and this can include hyperactivity. This sign can sometimes trick moms into thinking that her child has a lot of energy, but this is a sign of not getting enough sleep.
•Cognitive ability– Cognitive ability is also set to be impaired, and this will be evident in their schoolwork. A child who typically doesn’t struggle to remember homework assignments or answers on tests, may suddenly start having difficulty in school and it could be linked to not enough rest at night.
Encouraging Better “Sleep Hygiene”
According to Child Mind Institute, it is important to work on sleep hygiene with your child and tween. There is recognition that unhealthy sleep habits are common, but they can be worked on. While a school-aged child or tween may be too old for the typical nighttime routine that an infant or toddler would have, the ideology is still important.
The most important part of sleep hygiene is setting a strict bedtime and enforcing it. It is common for children this age to want to stay up late and play video games, or talk to their friends, but it is important to have a set bedtime and make sure that screens are turned off well before. Screens can cause stimulation in this age group that can make it difficult for them to fall asleep.
Another common element that is found with children and tweens is a distracting room. LED lights, alarm clocks with glowing lights and vibrating cell phones. This is not an ideal sleeping environment for a child, and should be removed so that the bedroom is the ideal place for sleeping with limited distractions.
When we want our school-aged kids and tweens to have better sleep habits, it is wise to stick to a schedule, and this is applicable for when they are not in school on the weekends. It is important to try and keep them on the same sleep schedule when possible.
Since we are not medical professionals, it is always important to speak to your child’s medical provider if you are concerned about the sleep habits of your child. This may be even more important if you are implementing the sleep hygiene habits, and they still do not seem to be working.
Sources: Raising Children, American Academy of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Child Mind Institute, Kids Health, Harvard University