Help Get Your Kids to Sleep with These 5 Tips

Getting to sleep for some adults is challenging enough, but when the kids can’t fall asleep nobody in the house is happy. We know the lack of sleep can cause undue stress on the body for parents, the same holds for children. An estimated 30 percent of kids have insomnia, and about 40 percent are not getting enough sleep at night. The effects of fatigue from lack of sleep in children can effect performance at school, create mood and behavior problems and cause relationship issues. Signs that your kiddo is having sleeping problems are issues staying asleep, having fatigue during the day, or having disturbed sleep from nightmares. All kids will have trouble sleeping because they don’t have a routine, they overate, or they are overtired. However, if it is consistent and it takes an hour to fall asleep over a lengthy time—you should talk to the pediatrician. In meantime, here are 6 tips for you to consider that will help your kids sleep.

Don't Let Them Oversleep

Did you know that that school children need up to 12 hours of sleep? However, if you let them oversleep like on the weekend it could throw them off schedule. "It interrupts the balance between the sleep drive and the circadian clock," psychologist Brant Hassle told PBS Newshour. “Sleep drive accumulates the longer you’re awake, and then dissipates with sleep. Sleep empties the bucket, leaving you fresh, unburdened and alert in the morning. Your circadian rhythm, on other hand, is a roller coaster that regulates your alertness and grogginess during the day," he said. As much as you want them to sleep, make sure your kids don’t go overboard. Make sure they get up, so they can get back to bed later that night.

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