Sleep" width="250" height="170" align="right" /> We all know how important it is to make sure our kids get a good night’s sleep, but how can we ensure they do? Sammy Margo, author of The Good Sleep Guide and the forthcoming The Good Sleep Guide for Kids tackles some common misconceptions…
Myth 1: Blue and white are good colours for a nursery…
Actually, we should really be painting our kids’ rooms pink or green! It is well known that colours have a strong influence on our mood and feelings. While blues and purples can be calming for an overactive child, they can also be cold. Reds and other strong colours, though warm, can be overstimulating. Pinks, however, will soothe and calm. Bright walls,
in particular brilliant white, can reflect so much light even at night that it prevents sleep. Greens, on the other hand, are thought to have a balancing and harmonious effect, which is one of the reasons you feel calm after a long country walk. Think about the colour of your child’s room – how it makes you feel and the effect it might have on your child. The ideal colours to send your child off to sleep peacefully are pale shades of pink and green.
Myth 2: It’s fine to put a TV in your child’s room…
Studies show that children who watch TV in their rooms get less sleep.
Research conducted at the University of Haifa examined 444 school pupils
aged 14 who were asked about their sleep habits and use of computers and
television. It was discovered that children with TVs in their room went
to sleep half an hour later than those without a TV, while waking up at
the same time in the morning, effectively losing 30 minutes of sleep a
night. Some children will also get up earlier in the morning to watch
TV at the expense of sleep.
Myth 3: Wool blankets are old-fashioned and will overheat your child…
Although it’s expensive, wool is actually particularly suitable for bed
covers. It’s lightweight but because of its heat-regulating qualities
will keep you warm in cold weather and cool in hot weather. It’s water
repellent, useful for spills and also for wicking moisture away from your
body, which helps keep the body at a more even temperature. This can help
you and your child get a better night’s rest and sleep for longer. It
is a natural flame retardant, having a low burning rate so it doesn’t
need to be treated with chemicals, and it doesn’t get dirty easily. Washable
wool fabric makes it easier to care for too so there is no longer any
need to dry-clean woollen blankets.
Myth 4: It’s unusual to have an imaginary friend…
New research indicates that approximately 65 per cent of young children
befriend imaginary companions, and nearly one-third continue to play with
them through age seven. Studies also show that children who invent friends
tend to be more articulate, creative and have higher self-esteem. It’s
healthy for children to have imaginary friends and it allows them to see
things from other people’s perspectives.
Myth 5: Sleep has no effect on a child’s weight…
In fact the opposite is the case. In several studies over the past few
years, a link has been found between sleep deprivation and the increased
risk of obesity in both children and adults. One study in 2006 which looked
at over 28,000 children found that infants who slept less than 12 hours
a day ran almost twice the risk of becoming overweight preschoolers. The
experts’ recommendation is that parents should use sleep hygiene techniques
(e.g. bedtime rituals) to improve the length of time their children sleep
for in order to prevent them from becoming overweight.
Myth 6: There is no such thing as a ‘sleep inducing’ food…
There are actually several foods that can help your child feel ready
for sleep: Porridge: oats contain small amounts of melatonin, the hormone
that promotes sleep. Honey: although too much sugar is stimulating, a
little glucose is thought to be helpful for sleep because it tells your
brain to turn off orexin, which is linked to alertness. Bananas: if your
child was just to eat one bedtime food, then the banana would probably
be it. As well as having the tryptophan, it also contains the sleep hormones
melatonin and serotonin, and magnesium, which is a muscle relaxant. Bananas
mashed with warm milk and honey would be a super-sleep combination.
Myth 7: It’s hard to make sure our children get enough exercise
Every child should have 60 active minutes of exercise a day, but many
children don’t get this – partly because many parents don’t know how much
exercise their children should be getting. It shouldn’t be difficult.
An hour a day may sound like a lot but this doesn’t have to be taken all
in one go. If it’s easier you can divide the time into 15-minute slots
throughout the day. And exercise in the daylight will help your child
feel tired at bedtime and sleep well throughout the night. The combination
of exercise and daylight works synergistically to regulate the body’s
sleep/wake cycle.
Myth 8: It doesn’t matter how you approach bedtime, as long as the kids
get to bed…
In fact, a bedtime ritual can be hugely effective in making sure your
child sleeps well every night. The American journal Sleep recently published
the findings of a study in which 405 mothers of young children with mild
sleep behaviour problems were shown how to follow a very simple bedtime
ritual. This included a bath time followed by a massage, then story time
before lights out. The results showed the routine had many benefits: ”
It significantly improved sleep and bedtime behaviour in infants and toddlers
- including the time it took for the child to get to sleep, the number
of times they woke up during the night and how long they slept for. ”
Toddlers were less likely to call out for their parents or get out of
bed in the night. ” The reduction in the children’s sleep problems meant
that the mood of the mothers who were surveyed was considerably improved.
This in turn had a beneficial effect on the children’s sleep. Because
the mother was less stressed, the bedtime experience for the child became
happier, and this helped them fall asleep more easily too.
About The Good Sleep Guide for Kids:
A practical guide to solving sleep problems in children aged 3
to 10 from leading physiotherapist and author of The Good Sleep
Guide, Sammy Margo. With 69 per cent of children under the age of
10 affected by sleep problems that can lead to mood swings, behavioural
disorders and irritability, good sleep plays a major part in their
wellbeing. In The Good Sleep Guide for Kids, Sammy Margo addresses
problems such as night waking, sleep terrors and sleep walking and
offers sound advice on ensuring the best quality sleep for your
child. With expert guidance on bedroom environment, bedclothes,
bedtime routines and foods that help and hinder sleep for children,
Sammy also looks at issues such as sibling relationships, comfort
toys, napping and co-sleeping with parents.
The Good Sleep Guide (Vermilion, £9.99) and The Good
Sleep Guide for Kids (Vermilion, £10.99)
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