Alaska Sleep Education Center

How Much Sleep Does My Child Need?

Posted by Jennifer Hines on Apr 11, 2019 3:09:45 PM

Parent's Guide to a Healthier Children's Sleep (Updated 2019) - Sleep Reports

Sleep apnea is rare in childhood as it usually affects adults. When it occurs in children, it can be very serious. Sleep apnea causes the affected person to stop breathing for short periods during the night. If your child has the condition, you may hear them snoring or breathing strangely, and it can disturb their sleep.

Sleep apnea in children requires prompt treatment because it can lead to learning and behavioural problems, issues with growth and heart problems. Children with the condition may need to have their tonsils or adenoids removed to clear their airway. They may also need a special mask attached to a machine to help regulate their breathing while they sleep. If the child is overweight, weight loss may help to improve or resolve their condition.

Even if your child does not have sleep apnea, parents face many obstacles getting their baby and themselves the sleep they require. Hannah Stevens, blog writer for www.SleepReports.com shared an insightful and informative article with Alaska Sleep Clinic titled, "A Parent's Guide to Healthier Sleep in Their Children." Here is an excerpt:

We’ve created a quick and handy guide to how much sleep your child needs at every stage of their development, along with some handy sleep tips for each age. Remember that very young children will not get all of their sleep at night- nap times contribute to their total sleep time. By the age of around 5, your child will probably no longer need a nap and should have adjusted to getting all their sleep during the night.

Newborn-2 months: 16-18 hours

Newborns usually sleep in chunks of around 2-4 hours each time. At this stage, they are simply not wired to sleep through the night like an older child or adult can. Some babies may sleep better if you swaddle them and/or use a white noise machine, as both of these methods can be very reassuring. Babies of this age should sleep flat on their back to avoid the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and do not need a pillow. For a better night sleep, every parents should use a good crib mattress to reduce the risk of SIDS.

2-4 months: 14-16 hours

At this age, you can begin to try and establish the start of a bedtime routine, for example by having a soothing bath and a story before bed. Your baby will still need naps totalling around 4-5 hours per day.

4-6 months: 14-15 hours

Many babies are able and ready to sleep through the night by this age, although some may not be quite there yet. To encourage longer sleep sessions during the night, you can try feeding your baby immediately before putting them to bed.

6-12 months: 14 hours

Your baby can now be put down to bed when they are sleepy but still awake. They may be anxious to be left at first, but with plenty of reassurance they will learn that you will come back in the morning when they wake up. It’s also important to check that your baby cannot escape from their crib, as some children of this age will be able to climb out and could potentially injure themselves.

1-2 years: 13-14 hours

A predictable nap and sleep routine is important for children of this age. Try and put them down to sleep at the same time every day and try to engage in familiar, soothing activities before bed. Your child will still need 2-3 hours of nap time a day at this age, with the balance of their total sleep time at night.

2-3 years: 12-14 hours

Some 2-3 year olds will be ready and able to transfer to a regular bed. Many parents also potty train their children at this age. Although some night-time accidents are inevitable and normal at this age, it’s a good idea to limit food and drink close to bedtime to keep this to a minimum. All the same, it’s a good idea to invest in some protective, waterproof bedding during this time. If your child uses screens, try not to allow them too close to bedtime.

3-5 years: 11-13 hours

By the time your child is 5, they probably won’t need a daytime nap at all any more. Don’t be surprised if your child experiences nightmares for the first time around now- bad dreams are very common at this age.

5-12 years: 10-11 hours

Although your child is older, they still need consistent routines, rules and boundaries around bedtime. Limiting screen time before bed is especially important, as children tend to access devices more at this age. Many older children have busy routines full of extra-curricular and social activities. However, it’s important that you do not allow this to encroach on their need for enough sleep.

Connect with Hannah's entire article here.

Topics: sleep and children

Moving Your Child to a Big Bed

Posted by Sally Norton on Mar 26, 2019 9:15:15 PM

Moving your child to his own bed is no easy business. I think you may have realized this at this point, otherwise you wouldn't be here. This is one of those tasks that we easily underestimate, and by the time we realize the problem of moving your child to his own bed, it becomes too late.

Regardless of whether you discovered this too late or not, we are here to discuss the best way of moving your child to his own bed.

Topics: alaska sleep clinic, children, sleep and children, Pediatrics, sleep hygiene

7 Tips and Tricks for Getting Kids to Sleep at Night

Posted by Jennifer Hines on Jan 24, 2019 6:11:00 PM

When it comes to children and sleep, one of the most frequent concerns from parents is how to get them to bed on time every night. Nearly every parent has had to deal with the difficulty of putting a child to bed at some point, and for a lot of parents, bedtime is a recurring nightmare. It seems strange that kids require much more sleep than adults do, yet many resist going to sleep with every fiber in their body. This can cause a strain on both parents and children and lead to poor sleep for everybody in the household.

So how do you get your kids to go to sleep at night? And more importantly how do you get them to go to sleep at night regularly? Here we give you 7 tips on getting your kids to bed on time everynight:

Topics: children, Sleep Tips, sleep and children, Pediatrics

The Comprehensive Guide to Sleep Deprivation: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment: Chapter 2

Posted by Guest blogger: Joe Smith, www.YooHealth.com on Oct 13, 2018 12:00:00 PM

Chapter 2 Sleep Deprivation in Teens and College Students

For many years, it has been argued that adolescents have different sleeping patterns from adults and children, but it has often been marked as laziness amongst teenagers by adults. However, numerous research has shown that teenagers do actually have a biological tendency to go to sleep as much as two hours later than adults, and that their sleep cycles differ as a result, and the push to fall asleep is a much slower one.

With things like evening activities and weekend events, the brain doesn’t think that it is nighttime until later, and so melatonin secretion is turned off later in the morning, making it harder for them to get up. Due to the way we want teenagers to function each day, their sleep cycle is disrupted, and they lose a lot of the deepest and most effective rest period.

It doesn’t help that teenagers and college students are expected to have so many commitments, which causes them a lot of pressure. Educational institutions are one of the biggest contributors to sleep deprivation because of the tight schedule they give their students. They are expected to complete assignments, get on with extra-curricular activities, and have to be accountable for all of this while also remaining competitive.

As a result, many students end up staying up too late completing assignments and don’t get the sleep required for proper function the next day. This leads to a vicious cycle, with increased deprivation that can lead to poor performance at school or college. As many as 50% of college students report daytime sleepiness, and 70% attain insufficient levels of sleep to function correctly.

If they do not get enough sleep, teenagers and college students are likely to find that their grades (and GPA) end up suffering, that their brains do not develop as well as they could, that their coordination is poor, and that they suffer from poor moods and even bouts of depression and rage. Getting enough sleep, on the other hand, can change all of this as well as boost memory, lower the risk of obesity, and even boost the immune system.

Teenagers should be getting a minimum of eight hours of sleep every night, but the preferred amount of time is ten. For college students, should get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night in order to function as well as possible in class and when completing assignments. Ideally, schools should change the times that classes start in order to help teenagers and college students perform better in class, as waking up later means waking up prepared for the day ahead.

Of course, there is also the case of poor sleep hygiene that can result in teenagers having sleep deprivation. The concept of good sleep hygiene includes avoiding caffeine before sleep, a quiet environment, and sticking carefully to a specific sleep schedule. Poor sleep hygiene practices that many teenagers carry out are as follows:

Drinking alcohol before sleep. This is because while it can help you to sleep faster, it disrupts the REM stage of sleep, which can cause a restless night and poor sleep quality overall.
Using technology before bed. The blue screen actually stops the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep cycle and circadian rhythm. This can lead to weight gain as well as insomnia.
Having too much during the day, or some before bed, can actually impact your sleep. Even consuming it six hours before bedtime can significantly reduce sleep quality, causing more instances of waking up in the night as well as general restlessness.

If anything, these examples show why it is so important for adolescents to get good sleep, and why they need to get enough. Of course, naps are a great way to boost your energy and combat sleep deprivation (as long as you do not have too many), but cognitive behavioral therapy can also be a great way to combat the issue.

Tomorrow, come back here for Chapter 3: The Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation and sign up for Alaska Sleep Clinic's blog.

Topics: sleep and children, teens

Avoid the Pitfalls of “Fall Back” this Year

Posted by Jennifer Hines on Sep 10, 2018 1:01:00 PM

On Sunday, November 6th, most of us in the U.S. will be turning our clocks back one hour. Just the thought of this change instills panic in parents who have just gotten their little one on that great routine!

Topics: sleep and children, sleep habits, daylight savings, losing sleep

Back-to-School Sleep Tips for Parents, Children, and Teens

Posted by Jennifer Hines on Aug 17, 2018 1:22:00 PM

A new school year kicks off Monday morning and that means your child's lazy, relaxed days of summer are about to be replaced with packed schedules full of class time, homework, and after school activities. More than likely your children have been staying up late and sleeping in through much of their summer-break, and getting them back into a healthy sleep routine may be challenging to say the least.

Topics: school, children, Sleep Tips, sleep and children, teens

Sleep Apnea in Children, Part 2: Attention and Memory

Posted by Kayla LeFevre on Jul 31, 2018 2:30:00 PM

We all think our own children are the brightest and only want the best for them in their intellectual and academic success. But who would have thought that something as simple as their cute little snore at night could be the reason they struggle behind in school and misbehave at times?

Topics: sleep and children, circadian rhythm, adhd, sleep hygiene

Sleep Apnea in Children, Part 1: ADHD vs OSA

Posted by Stefanie Leiter on Jul 30, 2018 12:03:00 PM

As humans, there is always a tendency to make mistakes. Doctors can make mistakes when a parent cannot figure out why their child is hyper, inattentive, moody, or impulsive. They act out without a moment’s notice in school and home. For the most part, the diagnoses gravitates towards an ADHD diagnosis. But for children, the symptoms of ADHD and sleep apnea are parallel if you are not asking the right questions.

Topics: sleep and children, OSA in children, adhd, medication

Sleep and Your Teen

Posted by Jennifer Hines on Apr 27, 2018 6:43:00 AM

It’s well known that some kind of switch seems to get thrown when our precious little ones become teens. Their sleeping patterns or lack there of become things of legend. The vampiric like late hours and the spaced out zombie behavior first thing in the morning is enough to drive any parent up the walls.

Topics: school, sleep and children, teens, moms

Pediatric Sleep Studies: Prepare Yourself and Your Child

Posted by Jennifer Hines on Apr 24, 2018 12:00:00 PM

We utilize the same tests used to diagnose and rule out sleep disorders in adults for children. However, because children are more likely to displace sensors during the night, we prefer to use attended studies rather than home monitoring.

Topics: sleep assessment, sleep and children, Pediatrics

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