How Important is Sleep in Kids?

The Importance of Sleep in Kids
A new study from Australia has once again linked sleep issues that occur between the ages of 9- to 11-year-olds can later cause psychiatric problems. This is not entirely new. Over the years there have been multiple studies that have shown how detrimental poor sleep can be for our children. Studies in the 1990s showed adolescents with sleep problems had more anxiety, depression and conduct issues compared to those with no sleep problems. Almost half of children experience sleep issues at some point of development. Identifying if this is becoming a problem is key to intervention.

Persistent sleep issues are where the problems arise. Sleep problems can give rise to physical problems such as cardiovascular risks, immune dysfunctions, metabolic changes like insulin resistance which can carry over into adulthood. Early sleep problems can be reflective of your child’s ability to self-regulate even before behavioral problems surface. Sleeping less than 9 hours a day can be the main thing to monitor. This lack of sleep is associated with cognitive and affective function. If a child is suffering from insomnia, the brain areas responsible for emotion, regulation and memory are negatively affected. These problems have been shown to persist upwards of 2 years later even when
corrected from the previous lack of sleep. Sleep disturbance in these key age ranges is found to be more common among those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To monitor what is happening with the brain, it has been shown that kids sleeping less than 9 hours have less grey matter in certain parts of the brain. This was shown to be present 2 years later when scanned again. There are many studies throughout the years, and they all reach the same conclusion. It is important for your children to have proper sleep, at least 9 hours a day and consistent routines at night
so they can fall asleep as expected.

What can parents do to avoid the issues related to sleep? Routines, routines, and routines. Develop good sleep habits from birth. There are things that we as parents do that make things comfortable for us and then there are the things, we should be doing that will make things more healthy long term for the kids. Sleep habits should be the priority early on for parents. Children need a regular bedtime that is close to the same time every night of the week. There will be occasions where this time may vary but your child should expect to be in bed by a certain time nightly. There should be a set amount of time before bed when the kids should start winding down. This time can be for baths, reading books or
listening to music. It is important this time is not spent in front of electronics or screens. A child’s screen time must be limited during the winding down time. If your child decides to get up from bed instead of sleeping just take them back and put them in bed. If they need water or a hug it is ok, just take them back to bed afterwards. These things should be parent-driven in order to establish household routines everyone can stick with.

— This article is written by Aaron Workman, DC one of the members of Chambers Medical Group’s team
of car accident chiropractors who offer a variety of treatments and therapies ranging from diagnostic
testing various soft tissue therapies for car accidents and injuries in Kentucky.

— This This article is written by Aaron Workman, DC, one of the members of Chambers Medical Group’s team of car accident chiropractors who offer a variety of treatments and therapies ranging from diagnostic testing to various soft tissue therapies for car accidents and injuries in Kentucky.

Have you been in a car accident? If you or somebody you know has been in a car accident, be sure that you seek medical attention from a car accident doctor or car accident chiropractor to treat your injuries. Visit Chambers Medical Group  to receive world-class medical treatment for your injuries.

Chambers Medical Group has car accident medical clinics in the following locations:

• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Tampa
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Plant City
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Brandon
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Lakeland
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Sarasota
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Louisville
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Lexington
• Car Accident Medical Clinic in Florence