Español de México The National Sleep Foundation recommends that infants have 12-15 hours of sleep, toddlers have 11-14 hours of sleep, and preschoolers have 10-13 hours of sleep each day. Adults, on the other hand, are recommended to have at least 7 – 9 hours of sleep.
No fair, huh? Parents need sleep, too, and we can all empathize with each other’s attempts to make sure our children have consistent sleep schedules before naps and bedtime. We make sure to arrange our daily schedules to fit in those imperative afternoon snooze fests for toddlers, follow the nightly bathtime routine, and have their favorite book to read before crawling into bed. Still, what about our nightly rituals to make sure that we have a good night’s rest, too?
According to Salem Health Sleep Center, the “Top 5 Benefits of Getting Enough Sleep” are:
- You will have more energy. Energy is definitely something all parents need to keep up with active little ones.
- You will make better medical decisions. True, very true—especially when it comes to making decisions regarding ourselves and those we care for.
- You will be happier. A well-rested body feels good and you can’t help but smile knowing that you feel refreshed after a night full of zzzz’s.
- You will make fewer mistakes. A good night’s rest will help you to be more acute and pay attention to detail.
- You will be less likely to be in a car accident, endangering yourself and others. Let’s face it whether or not we are behind the wheel ourselves or walking with a stroller next to a busy street, we need to be well aware of surroundings, distractions, and be able to react at a moment’s notice.
Once the day has ended and our children are off to sleep, it becomes our turn to take care of ourselves. It’s vital that we also practice a bedtime routine that is conducive to restful night of sleep. A few tips recommended by the National Sleep Foundation include:
- Establish a consistent sleep routine. This will help regulate your body’s circadian (internal clock).
- Exercise daily.
- Evaluate your sleep environment. Check the temperature of your room. Block out noises using fans, humidifiers, or other “white noise” machines. Invest in eye shades or earplugs.
- It may be time for a new mattress or pillows. Mattresses have a lifespan of about 10 years and pillows should be replaced for allergens.
- Wind down. Try some relaxation techniques like deep breathing, playing soft meditation music, or even reading a novel. Winding down also means resisting the urge to do one more last minute email check or texting. Sometimes the lighting from laptops or electronic devices activates our brains all over again, inhibiting our ability to “turn off.” You can find additional tips and more information about healthy sleep patterns at the websites provided below.
Do you have any sleep tips or restful ideas to share? We would love to hear it! Please email: parentinghub@earlylearninghub.or
OTHER RESOURCES:
Salem Health Sleep Center
http://www.salemhealth.org/services/sleep
How much sleep do we really need?
http://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need/page/0/1
Healthy Sleep Tips
http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-tools-tips/healthy-sleep-tips
