The role of sleep in childhood health and development is critical says Kate Sheehan, Occupational Therapist Consultant for Safespaces

Sleep is undoubtedly critical for the health and well-being of children. Research, both prospective and cross-sectional, has consistently shown that a lack of adequate sleep is linked to a wide range of negative physical and emotional outcomes.

There is also convincing evidence that children today are sleeping less than they did in previous generations. A recent systematic review of global literature, encompassing 690,747 children from 20 different countries, found that children’s sleep duration has decreased by 0.75 minutes per year over the past century. This decline in sleep has been most pronounced on school days, among older children, and particularly for boys.

Scientific criteria for good sleep
Good sleep, from a scientific perspective, is defined by several key characteristics. Firstly, it involves the ability to fall asleep easily, without prolonged periods of wakefulness before going to sleep. Once asleep, maintaining a stable sleep with minimal awakenings throughout the night is essential for restorative rest.

Achieving the recommended duration of sleep for one’s age group is another crucial factor. In addition to duration, a balanced sleep cycle is important, including sufficient amounts of both deep Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. Both stages play distinct roles in physical and mental recovery.

Indicators of good sleep quality
A primary indicator of good sleep quality is waking up feeling refreshed and energised. As a result, there is an absence of persistent daytime sleepiness, suggesting that the sleep obtained was truly restorative.

Adequate sleep is crucial for a child’s well-being, supporting growth, learning, and overall mental and physical health. For adults, restorative sleep is important to enable occupational engagement.

Impact of sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation is a condition where a person does not get enough sleep or experiences poor-quality sleep, leading to negative effects on physical health, mental well-being, and daily functioning.

Impacts on behaviour and emotion
Emotional regulation
Poor sleep hygiene can reduce a child’s ability to regulate their own emotions and behaviour.

Behavioural problems
These can manifest as hypoactivity, aggression and behaviours that can challenge, leading to a difficulty in managing a child or adult in their own home.

Mood changes
Sleep deprivation can lead to children becoming irritable, angry, depressed and sometimes more impulsive or obsessive.

Impacts on learning and cognition
Academic performance
Poor sleep reduces a child’s ability to concentrate, retain essential information and support effective problem solving. It can have a profound effect on their overall school performance and attainment.

Brain development
‘Adequate sleep, especially during developmental stages of life, is considered essential for normal brain development’. Chronic sleep deprivation can have detrimental effects on the brain’s development and cognitive functions, including working memory and decision-making.

Impacts on physical health
Increased illness
Sleep-deprived children are more susceptible to common infections such as colds, coughs and other minor ailments.

Growth and hormones
During sleep the human growth hormone (HGH) is released in peak amounts during deep sleep, which helps build and repair bones, muscles, and tissues. Inadequate sleep can disrupt this release of hormones, leading to reduced ability to grow.

Weight management
Hormonal imbalances in the body can promote overeating and weight gain. The hormones leptin and ghrelin are released during sleep and oppose each other to regulate hunger and fullness, therefore regulate appetite. When children aren’t getting sufficient sleep, the production of these hormones is impacted, resulting in increased feelings of hunger. Consequently, children increase their calorie intake due to snacking during the day, which can result in weight gain.

Impacts on social interactions and forming relationships
Additionally, when children are tired, they may be more irritable or less able to control their emotions, which can make it harder to communicate effectively with their peers. Over time, this can hinder the development of important social skills and reduce opportunities for positive interactions with others.

Creating good sleep hygiene
Stick to a sleep schedule
Children thrive on ritual. Create a nighttime routine that can be followed wherever you are. Reinforce your body’s natural sleep-wake rhythm by going to bed and rising at the same time every day, even on weekends.

Think about what you are eating and drinking
Avoid going to bed either hungry or overly full, as both conditions can cause discomfort and make it harder to fall asleep or remain sleeping. Be cautious with drinks that can be stimulating as it will make falling asleep difficult.

Create a restful environment
Make your sleeping space cool, dark, and quiet to promote better sleep. Exposure to light in the evenings can make it harder to fall off to sleep, so avoid using screens that emit light just before bedtime. Consider using room-darkening blinds and other tools to tailor your environment to your preferences. Calming activities with your child before bed, such as taking a bath, may also help your child to sleep more soundly.

Limit daytime naps
Long naps during the day can interfere with your child’s ability to sleep at night. Try to keep naps to less than one hour and avoid napping late in the day.

Include physical activity in your daily routine
Encourage your child to do regular physical activity as it can support better sleep. Avoid exercising too close to bedtime, as this may make it harder to fall asleep. Generally spending time outdoors each day with your children may contribute positively to your sleep quality.

Manage worries
Discuss any worries or concerns with your child before they go to bed. They might find it helpful to write down what is on their mind and set it aside for the following day.

Children with complex needs and supporting good sleep hygiene
Sometimes children with additional needs require more personal assistance, equipment or home modifications to enable them to sleep well and feel safe and secure.

Safespaces has collaborated over the last 25 years with families, carers, schools, professionals and engineers to develop a range of products to meet the needs of the wide breadth of their customers’ requirements. They continue to review, reflect and modify their products as professionals understand more about sleep and share their knowledge with the Safespaces team.

Safespace products have been designed to support bedtime routine, feelings of safety and comfort by using low sensory sleep spaces which help users to settle at bedtime and improve sleep patterns. They also provide a safe environment for those who continue to wake at night and need to feel safe to then fall back to sleep.

The range allows parents with the support of professionals to specify the right product for their child at the right time.

Finally, to all of us, I would say sleep well – it is essential for all of us regardless of age.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9111737/

CONTACT INFORMATION
www.safespaces.co.uk/