making time for some shut eye

By: Dr. Melissa King

You know how it feels to go through the day grumpy or with low energy because you didn’t get enough sleep. Kids and their young bodies react differently to lack of sleep or poor sleep, sometimes becoming hyper, disagreeable or other extremes in behavior.

Kids need plenty of sleep to rest their growing bodies and minds. When kids don’t get enough they can be at increased risk for obesity, poor school performance, behavioral problems and substance abuse.

Sleep is very important to your child’s well-being. However, for many kids, bedtime is no fun, and for many parents, getting kids to go to bed – and stay there – can be utterly frustrating. Here are some tips for making bedtime more enjoyable.

• Stick to a schedule: A child’s bedtime and wake-up time should be about the same time every day (even on weekends).
• Routine is king: A 20-30 minute bedtime routine should occur in the bedroom, such as reading a book or talking about the day.
• Cool and comfy: The bedroom should be quiet, dark and at a comfortable temperature (less than 75^oF).
• Snack before snoozing: A light snack before bed is a good idea.
• Say no to caffeine: Avoid caffeine six hours before bedtime.
• Flip the switch on the screen: Keep televisions, computers and video games out of the bedroom; increased light exposure can effect sleep/wake cycles.
• Naps are nice: Naps should be geared toward the age of the child (avoid very long, too many or late naps in the day).
• Ending the day: Avoid high-energy activities an hour before bed, including rough play or video games.
• Get a dose of exercise: Children should get daily exercise.

Finally, praise your child for sleeping following a good bedtime routine and staying in bed when he or she wakes up! As a mother of a two-year-old and four-year-old I know how much they love to get positive reinforcement for their actions!

For more about sleep visit Kohl’s A Minute for Kids.

By: Melissa King, DO “Dr. Mom Squad”

Dr. King is a general pediatrician in the Children’s Health Clinic at Dayton Children’s and the mother of two kids. As part of the “Dr. Mom Squad,” Dr. King blogs about her experiences as both as doctor and a mom and hopes to share insight to other parents on issues related to both parenting and kids health. Learn more about Dr. King!