by Mariel Dawson If you look up ‘sleep’ in any medical text book or journal it is guaranteed you will find one common message - sleep is vital to human health and well being. Although experts will argue different theories as to why humans need to rest, many do agree that sleep, especially in children, is fundamental for growth and development.
As adults (and parents) we have all, at some stage, experienced the nasty side effects of sleep deprivation and we also notice our children can suffer severely from poor sleep. A good night’s rest ensures that children are able to play, grow and learn at their optimal level but it’s not only the amount, but the quality of sleep that makes a difference.
As a child grows, their sleep requirements change. Experts recommend in each 24 hour period that infants (3-11 months) receive 14-15 hours, toddlers 12-14 hours, pre-schoolers 11-13 hours, school aged children 10-11 hours of sleep and teenagers 9-10 hours.
Midwife and natural nursing sleep consultant Elaine Harvey explains the importance of sleep by likening the human brain to a computer. She says computers require disk clean-ups to run smoother and sleep is the brain’s disk-clean up process.
During disk de-fragmentation the computer sorts out the storage and organisation of files to ensure storage space is being used efficiently. “Our brains complete a similar process while we sleep,” Elaine says.
Elaine established the sleep consultancy Lullababy Save our Sleep to help parents of young children solve common sleep problems and establish healthy sleeping routines and patterns.
To help us better understand sleep Elaine explains two different cycles of sleep and their specific functions. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, also referred to as light sleep, lasts for 5-15 minutes. It is detected by fluttering eye movements under the eyelids. REM sleep is particularly important in infants as it aids cognitive development. During REM sleep, dreaming occurs as the brain processes and stores memories and information. “REM sleep is what helps you adapt, learn and deal with everyday life,” Elaine says.
Children lacking in light sleep may suffer separation anxiety, become hyperactive and find it difficult to entertain themselves because their brain is on overload.
The other cycle of sleep, Non REM sleep, is a period of deep sleep and it is important for gross motor development. “It is what gives you energy for the day,” Elaine says.
Research has found that when switching from REM sleep into Non REM sleep, there is often a short waking period. In adults this waking period goes unnoticed because we have learnt to fall back asleep and into a Non REM cycle. Babies however are yet to learn this ability which is why they often wake during the night needing to be settled back to sleep. Infants as they grow, learn how to do everything from scratch and sleep is no exception. “A lot of sleep problems are behavioural,” Elaine explains.
Behavioural sleeping problems arise from children becoming dependant on specific settling techniques to fall asleep. Some common settling techniques used by parents include: breast or bottle feeding, using a dummy, rocking their baby to sleep or letting their child sleep in bed with them. Parents use these methods of settling, assuming that their child will eventually grow out of them.
“Unfortunately this is rarely the case, more often this settling technique, that used to take just minutes, takes much longer and babies are waking up more often and taking much longer to settle,” Elaine says. “Parents then try other techniques to settle their baby, causing more confusion until both parent and baby are so sleep deprived that parents don’t know what to do to settle their baby and poor baby is so tired that they become anxious, stressed and sometimes hyperactive making it even harder for them to settle.”
To break this cycle, bad sleeping behaviours need to be addressed immediately. “Deal with the situation sooner rather than later because they (babies) won’t miraculously learn to sleep,” Elaine says.
There are a number of strategies used to train babies to fall asleep on their own. Two basic tactics Elaine recommends to parents are routine and consistency. A good bed and bath time routine is key to helping your baby wind down and prepare for their night time sleep. “Bath and bedtime routine should last 30- 45 minutes which will send very strong signals to your child that it is time for sleep,” Elaine says.
“Making the bath and bedtime routine one that is relaxed, calm and enjoyable will mean that as your child gets older this will be a time in the day that they will start to enjoy and look forward to.”
Once a new routine is established it is important that it is continued and kept consistent. “Children feel comforted with routines and feel safe when they can anticipate what is coming next,” Elaine says.
Sleep is crucial to infants because if you were to draw up a pie chart of a baby’s day a significant chunk (more than half ) of that chart is allocated to sleep. “If you don’t get that part right, you won’t get anything else right,” Elaine says.
Parents notice that when their babies sleeping problems have been solved and their child is sleeping better other improvements are evident. “When a baby sleeps well they are generally happier and more content when they are awake,” Elaine says.
In older children, medical or psychological factors are more likely to disrupt sleep. Victorian University publication Teenage Sleep estimates that 20-30% of all 12-20 year olds, at some stage, experience sleep problems.
Teens need around 9-10 hours of sleep every night however a number of studies show that this is rarely achieved. One of the main reasons is due to a change in circadian rhythms (the clock-work of bodily functions) during adolescence. Experts have found when children reach puberty their bodies release melatonin, (the hormone which helps induce sleep), at a later time of day than in childhood.
The result – teens go to bed later. Combine this biological explanation with hectic teenage lifestyles involving social activities, sporting commitments, study pressures, after-school jobs, late night movies, internet use and computer games and it’s easy to see why most teens stay up later than younger children.
Relationship problems, emotional problems such as stress, anxiety and depression can also wreak havoc on the sleeping pattern of teens. For parents who have ever Teens who are not getting enough sleep experience sleep deprivation which effects their school performance and overall well-being.
Symptoms of sleep deprivation include excessive daytime tiredness, moodiness, hyperactivity, aggression, learning difficulties, poor concentration, depression, and poor decision making. Experts say that the loss of even just half an hour of sleep can have a significant effect on learning.
Sleep deprivation can also be the result of more serious sleep problems. The PfizerAustralia Health report explains that there are nearly 70 diagnosable sleep disorders but lists insomnia, parasomnias (e.g. sleep terrors, sleep walking/talking, nightmares), sleep apnea syndromes, restless leg syndrome as some of the most common.
Sleep disorders are diagnosed through sleep studies carried out by specialist sleep clinics. These clinics run tests to determine the cause of sleeping problems and recommend treatment.
Sleep and sleeping well is vital for health. Children and teenagers are growing at rapid rates and sleep is critical to their development. Keep track of your children’s sleeping patterns. If you are concerned that your child may be experiencing sleeping difficulties it is important to discuss these issues with your family GP.
SE Queensland sleep clinics:
Sleep disorder Laboratory, Buderim: 5430 3303
Respiratory and Sleep Specialists, Auchenflower: 3870 2144
The Sleep Therapy Clinic, Aspley: 3263 9455 Sleep investigation Centre, Sunnybank: 3344 4697
Gold Coast Sleep Disorders Centre, Nerang: 5527 0555
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