Posts Tagged "Sleep"

12Jul2024

In today’s digital world, screens are prevalent in our daily lives, including for youngsters. From tablets at school to cellphones at home, children’s screen time has increased drastically. While technology may be a useful tool for both study and enjoyment, parents and health professionals are increasingly concerned about excessive screen time. This blog delves into the various consequences of screen usage on children’s mental and physical health, including sleep habits and cognitive development.

The Cognitive Costs of Screentime

One of the main worries about excessive screen usage is its effect on children’s cognitive development. According to studies, youngsters who spend more time on screens have shorter attention spans and are more easily distracted. Furthermore, excessive screen usage might impede language and social skill development, particularly when it replaces interactive activities like discussion and play.

Mental Health Implications

The link between screen time and children’s mental health is nuanced and disturbing. High screen usage has been linked to higher rates of anxiety and depression. This can be attributable to a number of things, including decreased physical exercise, fewer face-to-face social connections, and exposure to inappropriate or stressful internet content.

Physical Health and Sleep Disruptions

Excessive screen time can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, which contributes to obesity and other health concerns like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Screen-emitted blue light can also disrupt natural sleep patterns by interfering with the generation of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. This interruption can cause sleep deprivation, which is connected to poor academic performance, mood swings, and behavioral issues.

Balancing Screen Time

While the negative consequences of screen usage can seem overwhelming, screens are not intrinsically bad. The concerns stem from excessive, unrestricted screen use. Promoting balanced screen time is critical. Parents and caregivers can help by limiting screen time and ensuring that it does not substitute physical activity, sleep, or social connections.

Educational content can also be beneficial if it is age-appropriate and handled responsibly. Parental controls and other tools can assist limit and monitor screen time to ensure that it benefits a child’s development.

Screen usage has a profound and diverse impact on children’s mental, physical, and cognitive health. As we navigate the digital age, it is critical to have a positive connection with technology. Setting boundaries and encouraging balanced screen use can help lessen the negative impacts while maximizing the benefits that technology can provide.

13Jan2023

Children are more likely than adults to experience nightmares and night terrors, which frequently disturbs parents’ sleep as they attempt to comfort and ease their child back to sleep. Night terrors and nightmares share many similarities, yet they can differ greatly. While nearly everyone has nightmares throughout childhood, just 1-6% of children suffer night terrors, and the experience is significantly more distressing for both parents and children. In this blog post, we’ll examine what night terrors are, the causes of them, and some strategies for dealing with them if your child has them.

Understanding Nightmares and Night Terrors

A night terror is a sleep disorder in which the subject experiences intense panic, which frequently manifests as yelling, shouting, and thrashing. Similar to sleepwalking, a youngster may occasionally move out of bed, open their eyes, and then continue to sleep. Other side effects of night terror include perspiration, faster breathing, and an elevated heart rate. After an episode, it can frequently be challenging to get a child back to sleep because of the overwhelming sense of panic. Night terrors can happen more than once per night and typically persist for several minutes, occasionally even up to 15 minutes.

The Causes of Night Terrors

A night terror often develops as a result of an interruption to a child’s deep slumber, an over-arousal of the central nervous system during sleep. Children who have a family history of sleepwalking or night terrors are more likely to experience an episode. Night terrors may also be brought on by elements that interfere with deep sleep, according to certain theories. One trigger may be an increase in deep sleep, which may be brought on by factors including fatigue, fever, or medicine. Another possibility is when this phase of sleep is disturbed, frequently as a result of stress, excitement, loud noises, or the desire to use the restroom.

What Should I Do if My Kid Has Night Terrors?

When your child has a night terror, it can be a scary experience because you always want to see them sleeping peacefully. However, the best course of action when dealing with one that is already underway is to wait patiently for it to pass while watching out for your child or daughter’s safety. Though you might be tempted, it’s best to refrain from awakening your child while they are having an episode. After a few minutes, most kids will go back to their regular slumber, so if you wake them up abruptly, they could get disturbed and less likely to fall back asleep. Furthermore, it’s doubtful that they would recall the incident, thus waking them awake will simply make them feel uneasy. You can wake up your child once the episode has ended and they have calmed down.

To assist them reset their sleep and prevent them from relapsing into a night terror, make sure they are fully awake and, if required, take them to the bathroom. Although there is no proven cure for night terrors, there are several things you can do to help your kid go asleep and address the underlying causes: 

  • Assist them in managing stress: Like adults, kids might experience tension and worry before bed, which can exacerbate night terrors. Find out what’s causing the issue and try to assist the youngster in resolving it; you may also try some stress-reduction strategies. 
  • Create a calming bedtime routine: While we’ve written on relaxing bedtime routines for adults, much of the same guidance also applies to children. Making sure they consume healthy foods and liquids, limiting computer time before bed, encouraging them to take a hot bath, and reading a tale aloud are all helpful strategies for easing children into sleep.
  • Stop them from getting too tired: Night terrors are frequently preceded by being overtired, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your child’s routine to ensure that they aren’t overexerting themselves and are getting enough rest.
  • Provide creative outlets for imaginative children: Children with active, vivid imaginations are more likely to experience night terrors, so provide them with opportunities to express themselves during the day. This could be done through acting, singing, dancing, or another art form.
  • Talk to them about night terrors in the proper way: The last thing you want is for your child to develop a real fear of their night terrors, so you should be careful to talk to them about their episodes in a way that doesn’t make them anxious or scared.

Even while the majority of night terrors may be treated at home, you should consult a doctor if they recur frequently or more than once a night. A medical expert should be able to determine whether there are any underlying conditions that are the root of the issues. Contact Kid’s 1st Pediatrics if you have any inquiries.

31Oct2022

In order to give them the energy they need for vigorous play and good health, children must get adequate sleep so they grow and develop at a quick rate. Your child can sleep better if you practice proper sleep hygiene, such as setting regular bedtimes and creating a calm, secure sleeping environment.

A good sleeping habit is a set of behaviors and practices that promote restful sleep. It is frequently called good sleep hygiene.

How Much Sleep Should a Child Get?

Sleep patterns of newborns vary greatly. Most infants sleep 14 to 17 hours throughout the day after about a month. Your infant will gradually sleep longer at night and shorter during the day.

Preschoolers and toddlers require 11 to 14 hours of sleep every day. The majority of it need to happen at night, but they frequently also want rest during the day.

Attempt to limit daytime naps to one to two hours in order to prevent extending nighttime bedtimes, although each child’s needs will differ. Children in primary school need 9 to 11 hours of sleep every night.

Understanding Internal Timers and Sleep Cycles

Our body’s internal clock regulates our sleep habits by keeping us awake during the day and encouraging sleep at night. The hormone melatonin, which alerts our bodies that it is time to sleep, is released in accordance with the body clock.

Most kids are asleep in 20 minutes or less after going to bed. It’s crucial to set regular intervals for your youngster to nap during the day and sleep at night. This enables the release of melatonin by their biological clock, hastening the process of falling asleep. We alternate between phases of deeper and lighter sleep after falling asleep.

If your child gets deep sleep, they won’t wake up too frequently. Most children have their deepest sleep before midnight, so putting them to bed early will allow them to benefit from this time for restful sleep.

Forming the Best Sleeping Patterns for Children

Exercise and Nutrition

Your youngster will sleep soundly with the aid of a healthy diet and regular exercise. If at all possible, try to plan meals so that your child doesn’t feel uncomfortable or unable to go asleep by going to bed either hungry or full.

Play and physical exercise during the day will also help your child burn off energy, reducing the likelihood that they will be restless when it is time for bed. Encourage your children to play outside so that they can synchronize their body clocks, which will help them sleep more soundly.

If your child is older than 5, avoid naps throughout the day. Make sure your child doesn’t consume any caffeine, including that found in chocolate and soft beverages.

Time to Wind Down Before Bed

Your youngster can more easily transition from playtime to sleep if there is a wind-down phase right before bed. Playing some calming music, reading a book, or telling your child a story are all peaceful activities that can put your child to sleep. If your child is having trouble falling asleep for a daytime nap, wind-down times may be especially helpful. For at least an hour prior to going to bed, refrain from utilizing electronic devices such as television, laptops, and cell phones.

Routines Before Bedtime

You may help your youngster associate showering and brushing their teeth with going to sleep by having a consistent bedtime routine that includes these actions. Additionally, it’s critical that kids feel secure and at ease in their sleeping surroundings. If left alone in a dark room to sleep, some kids may feel upset. It could be reassuring to use a night light or leave the door open. If your youngster is checking the time frequently, make sure they can’t see a clock.

If you need to tend to your kid after they are in bed to help them settle, try keeping the lights low and the room quiet to avoid upsetting the peaceful atmosphere of bedtime.

19Aug2022

Getting your toddler to sit still at the pediatrician’s office is not always easy. When you add in feeling tired or hungry with a toddler who may already feel nervous, you have a recipe for disaster.

The time of your toddler’s appointment can make a huge difference in their experience, so here are several tips for scheduling a pediatric appointment for your toddler.

Avoid Scheduling For Naptime or Mealtime

It is best to avoid scheduling your toddler’s appointment during their nap time or mealtime. Your little one cannot take a full nap or eat lunch in the waiting room, and this could result in a very unhappy toddler. When you schedule their appointment, talk to the receptionist about what times you need to leave open. They may have an opening that fits your toddler’s schedule.

Prepare Your Toddler In Advance

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to schedule an appointment around your toddler’s nap time or mealtime. In this case, it is best to prepare your toddler for the appointment in advance. If your toddler’s appointment is during nap time, you may want to put them to bed earlier the night before to ensure they are well-rested. If their appointment is during lunchtime, it may help to pack a few healthy snacks.

Keep Your Toddler Occupied

Your toddler may be cranky because they are tired or hungry, or they may simply feel nervous about their appointment. It helps to bring their favorite toy or book as a form of comfort. Another idea is to load their favorite television show on your phone or tablet to keep them occupied, but be sure to bring headphones or keep it at a low volume.

Ask About The Less-Busy Days

It never hurts to ask the receptionist about scheduling an appointment on a day that is not as busy. This way, you do not have to worry about your toddler feeling overwhelmed by a packed waiting room. It also makes it possible to get in and out of the appointment quickly because of the shorter wait time. You can also save time by checking in online before the appointment.

Try To Get The First Appointment

You can also ask the receptionist if there are any days with the first appointment available. While you may need to get up earlier than desired for this appointment, you do not have to wait for any patients to be seen before your toddler. This means you can head home by the late morning or early afternoon, which is perfect for avoiding an appointment during nap time and mealtime.

When you are ready to schedule your toddler’s next appointment with the pediatrician, check out Kids 1st Pediatrics. You can learn more about this practice at kids1stpediatrics.net.

17Jan2022

Sleep is an integral part of every person’s life – we absolutely can’t function without it. But when kids have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, it can wreak havoc on their daytime routine as well.

Establish a Bedtime Routine

Babies and young toddlers thrive on routine. So when it comes to falling asleep at night, a bedtime routine will help them drift off to sleep quickly and effortlessly. This should include a nighttime feeding (a bottle or sippy cup), bath, diaper change or toileting, a bedtime story, or other calming activity, such as rocking or snuggling, then transitioning to the crib or bed when they are drowsy for “lights off.”

Older toddlers and children benefit from the same type of structured routine, but simply modified for their age. Bath time, teeth brushing, and storytime or reading in bed for a set number of minutes before “lights out” is ideal. This is usually the age where parents may want to put a television in a child’s room – this is usually done with good intentions, but will inevitably lead to insomnia if the child is allowed to watch television in order to fall asleep or gets up in the middle of the night to turn the TV on. TVs provide both visual and sound stimulation, which keeps little brains active!

Limit Visual Stimulation Before Bed

Teens essentially follow the same evening routine as older children, most importantly adhering to the same bedtime each night. Limiting the amount of screen time (tablets and cell phone use included) prior to bedtime will help cut down on the amount of visual stimulation and make falling asleep easier. Also, ensure that your teen has at least an hour of “transition time” before bed each evening after completing homework to rest and unwind – it can be hard for minds to shut down quickly after focusing on homework.

With time and consistency, many sleep troubles can be overcome, leading to much more peaceful nights and pleasant days ahead. Contact your pediatrician if your child still struggles with falling asleep and staying asleep after implementing these bedtime routines.