Concord Connect

School Nurse's Report

Children and Sleep

Every living creature needs to sleep. It is the primary activity of the brain during early development. Circadian rhythms, or the sleep-wake cycle, are regulated by light and dark.

 

Overall, a child will spend 40 percent of his or her childhood asleep. Sleep is especially important for children as it directly impacts mental and physical development.

 

There are two alternating types or states of sleep:

 

Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) or "quiet" sleep. During the deep states of NREM sleep, blood supply to the muscles is increased, energy is restored, tissue growth and repair occur, and important hormones are released for growth and development.

 

Rapid Eye Movement (REM) or "active" sleep. During REM sleep, our brains are active and dreaming occurs. Our bodies become immobile, breathing and heart rates are irregular. 

 

 

Sleep and Children 6-13 years old

Children aged 6 – 13 years need 10 - 11 hours of sleep. At the same time, there is an increasing demand on their time from school (e.g., homework), sports and other extracurricular and social activities. In addition, school-aged children become more interested in TV, computers, the media and Internet as well as caffeine products – all of which can lead to difficulty falling asleep, nightmares and disruptions to their sleep. In particular, watching TV close to bedtime has been associated with bedtime resistance, difficulty falling asleep, anxiety around sleep and sleeping fewer hours.

 

Sleep problems and disorders are prevalent at this age. Poor or inadequate sleep can lead to mood swings, behavourial problems such as ADHD and cognitive problems that impact on their ability to learn in school. 

 

 

 

Sleep and Teenagers

Research shows that teenagers need about 9 hours of sleep a night. So, a teenager who needs to wake up for school at 6 a.m. would have to go to bed at 9 p.m. to reach the 9-hour mark. Studies have found that many teens have trouble falling asleep that early, though. It's not because they don't want to sleep. It's because their brains naturally work on later schedules and aren't ready for bed.

 

During adolescence, the body's circadian rhythm (an internal biological clock) is reset, telling a teen to fall asleep later at night and wake up later in the morning. This change in the circadian rhythm seems to be due to the fact that the brain hormone melatonin is produced later at night in teens than it is for kids and adults. So, teenagers have a harder time falling asleep.

 

Sometimes this delay in the sleep-wake cycle is so severe that it affects a teen's daily activities. In those cases it's called delayed sleep phase syndrome, also known as "night owl" syndrome. And if your sleep-deprived teen brings mobile devices into bed, surfing or texting late into the night, the light exposure could also disrupt circadian rhythm and make it harder to sleep.

 

Some research suggests that the blue light from a computer screen in the bedroom at night might suppress melatonin levels and delay sleepiness.

 

Over time, nights of missed sleep can build into a sleep deficit (or sleep debt). Teenagers with a sleep deficit can't concentrate, study, or work effectively. They also can have emotional problems, like depression.

 

 

 

 

Sleep Tips for School Aged Children:

  • Establish a regular and consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine,   especially on school nights
  • Allow for about an hour of quiet time to wind down and relax for sleep
  • Switch off the electronics at least an hour before bed. Too much excitement, noise and activity before bed can get kids revved up and make it harder for them to settle down for sleep when it’s time
  • Stick to a bedtime, and give your kids a heads-up 30 minutes and then 10 minutes beforehand
  • Make child's bedroom conducive to sleep – dark, cool and quiet.
  • Keep TV and computers and mobile devices out of kids' bedrooms
  • Avoid caffeine. If children consume caffeine – in energy drinks, coffee, tea, chocolate and cola – especially in the late afternoon and evening, this might keep them awake at night

 

Managing Sleep Problems

Some sleep problems are behaviour issues that you can manage by promoting good sleep habits. These include positive bedtime routines to encourage settling and sleep, a quiet and relaxing sleep environment, and good health, nutrition and activity during the day.

 

Sleep problems often start to get better after the first week of getting into good sleep habits. If you don’t see any improvement, there might be medical reasons for your child’s sleep problems. It’s worth talking with your doctor in this situation.

 

http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/sleep                                                  http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/children-and-sleep

 

               'Keep well and stay safe'

 

Rosemary Van Aperen

School Nurse