by Dr. Nadine Cyr, ND
There are three pillars to health: movement, nutrition and sleep. Good quality sleep is the most important pillar of health for
adults and for growing children. Sleep is a biological
necessity. Sleep is needed to recover from the physical and mental fatigue accumulated during the day. Without proper sleep, the
body is simply unable to maintain homeostasis, regenerate, and rejuvenate. In
fact, sleep may be one of the most important factors in the
achievement of peak academic performance, optimum functioning, quality of life, health and
ultimate personal success.
Research Says "Children Are Sleep Deprived"
- "As many as 40% of [Canadian] children aren't getting enough sleep, which is not only impairing their ability to function properly, it's hurting their ability to learn.” Dr. Reut Gruber of Montreal's Douglas Mental Health University Institute
- According to a 2011 report from the World Association of Sleep: Sleep problems (including insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and sleep deprivation) affect up to 45% of the world’s population. Adults and children are struggling to cope with "an epidemic" of sleep disorders.
- Dr. David F. Finges from Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has found that a few nights of sleep deprivation leads to reduced brain activity in regions of the brain that control critical thinking and behavioral function including:
- Perceptual-motor coordination, consciousness, emotion, physical homeostasis, motor control, self-awareness, cognitive function, personality, planning complex behaviour, decision making, social behaviour, and working memory.
Are Your Children Getting the Sleep They Need?
According to the Canadian Pediatric Society, it is estimated that children need the following amount of sleep:
- Babies & Toddlers need 12 to 16 hrs. The ideal bedtime 7-7:30 pm.
- School-Aged children need 10 to 12 hrs. The ideal bedtime 7:30-8 pm.
- Teenagers need 8.5 to 9.5 hrs. Later bedtime, around 9 or 10 pm is okay due to later melatonin release.
What Happens to Children When They Don't Sleep?
The following are signs that your children are not getting enough sleep.
• Hyperactivity,
short attention span
• Increased
desire for sugar
• Irritability,
anxiety, pessimism, paranoia
• Impaired
moral judgement
• Difficulty
finishing tasks
• Falling
asleep in boring situations ie. short car trips, during class
• Impaired
short-term memory
• Weakened
immunity
• Impaired
growth
What's Happening During Sleep?
Research has demonstrated that during sleep, the brain makes
more distant neural associations that don’t occur in wakefulness. These neural associations lead to enhanced aspects of creativity, problem solving, decision making, learning,
memory consolidation, and insight.
In addition to allowing the brain to process, integrate, and
understand new information learned in the daytime, sleep is when our cells grow and are renewed, immune function is enhanced and detoxification takes place. Sleep is important for many biological functions.
Enuring Adequate Restful Sleep
A good night sleep is highly dependent on the quality of our
day. The better and healthier the day, the better and healthier the sleep. “Daytime
sleep essentials” include:
- starting the day with a protein-rich breakfast
- eating mostly clean, whole foods
- ensuring that children drink adequate water throughout the day
- ensuring movement or exercise throughout the day.
A good night sleep is also highly dependent on our bedtime
routines - known as sleep hygiene or night-time sleep routine. What children do
or don’t do in the evening has a serious impact on their sleep. Ideally, bedtime is at the
same time every night. If some nights have to be later due to activities, it is
important to make up for it the next night.
Night-time sleep essentials include:
Night-time sleep essentials include:
- At least 1 hour before bed, all screens/blue light electronics are shut down and there’s a “down time” period with a book, bath or music.
- Bedrooms are best kept completely dark (no night lights on all night please)
- Bedrooms should also be as clutter-free as possible and not too warm (18 degrees Celsius is ideal).
Naturopathic Support
For some children, daytime and night time sleep essentials
aren’t enough to promote optimal sleep. In such cases, the underlying
causes of poor sleep may be related to nutritional deficiencies or imbalances, nervous system conditions such as anxiety or ADD/ADHD or environmental factors such as EMF interference.
There are a number of naturopathic treatments options that can improve not only the quality of sleep, but the duration of sleep. As parents, we all want our children to be healthy and happy
so they may lead a successful and fulfilling life. Helping them build a strong
and solid first Pillar of Health – Sleep, is one of the greatest gift we can
give them.
Dr. Nadine Cyr is a Naturopathic Doctor at Naturopathic Foundations with a focus on pediatrics. She has been a Naturopathic Doctor for over seventeen years and is passionate about finding and treating the underlying causes of dis-ease. To book an appointment with Dr. Nadine Cyr, please call the clinic at 905-940-2727.