Sleep has many benefits for children. However, in fact not a few children who lack hours of sleep and do not get quality sleep. Anything the hell What are the effects if your child doesn't get enough sleep? Come on, look here, bud.
There are various causes of children not getting enough sleep at night, ranging from feeling anxious or afraid to sleep alone, taking too long naps, delaying bedtime because fun play, or sleep disturbances such as nightmares and sleepwalking.
The Importance of Sleep for Children
In addition to resting the body, sleep has tremendous benefits for children, namely to support growth and development, improve mood, educate the brain, control weight, and increase endurance.
Every child needs different hours of sleep, depending on their age. Here is the division:
- Ages 1–2 years is 10−13 hours per day
- Age 6−12 years is 9−12 hours per day
- Age 13−18 years is 8−10 hours per day
A series of effects of sleep deprivation in children
Lack of sleep does not only happen to adults, some children can also experience it. This condition should not be allowed to linger, Bun, because it can have a bad impact on the health of the baby. These impacts include:
1. Lowering the intelligence of the brain
When the child is awake, his brain will always work to accompany him in his activities throughout the day. When bedtime comes, the brain will take a break from its work.
A good night's sleep is the key to improving the ability of the brain, from thinking to remembering. You can imagine if your little one doesn't get enough sleep, these abilities will certainly decrease.
2. Lowering the body's resistance
Lack of sleep can also weaken the immune system and slow down a child's recovery if sick. Especially in the midst of the current COVID-19 pandemic, it is important for your little one to have a strong immune system, so that viruses and germs do not easily cause disease.
3. Disrupt the growth process
During sleep, glands in the child's brain produce growth hormone. As the name implies, this hormone has a very large role in the growth of children. Lack of sleep can disrupt the work of these hormones, so that the growth of your little one is not optimal.
4. Lowering concentration
When children are sleep deprived, they tend to be sleepy during the day making it difficult to concentrate. If this happens to a school-age child, of course he will have difficulty understanding the lesson.
5. Ruin the mood
Lack of sleep in children can also have a negative impact on their mood. Children who are sleep deprived tend to be more fussy, cry a lot, and often get angry.
In children under the age of 4 years, lack of sleep will make them more prone to tantrums. Meanwhile, in middle school age children, sleeping less than 6 hours is at risk of causing anxiety and depression.
By knowing the impact that will arise if your child is sleep deprived, now you can't let your child go through their sleeping hours again, OK? Apart from not getting enough sleep, children are not encouraged to stay up late or sleep too late.
Make sure your baby gets enough and quality sleep every day. Mother can try to make some changes to the child's room that can make it calmer and easier to sleep. If your little one has complaints during sleep or sleep disturbances, you are advised to take him to the doctor to get the right treatment.
