Family Wellness Tip

Sleep research shows that lack of sleep greatly affects how the body and brain function, from immune system strength to appropriate stress responses. Parents notice when their child is grumpy or whiny due to not sleeping well or not sleeping long enough. The effects of poor sleep, especially on a regular basis, can be seen in children in a variety of negative ways: aggressive or reclusive behaviors, poor decision making, inability to focus, impulsive choices, chronic diseases and health issues, and obesity. The list is not complete and yet some major players are seen by parents who live with challenging children. Making kids go to sleep at a specific bedtime or stay asleep the entire night can be difficult for a toddler or teen. There are some things you can do to help your child find the right path to their SUPERPOWER. Some things that have been shown to help are sleep hygiene (bedtime routines) and reduced technology 1-2 hours before bedtime.

The video (left) is a brief and thorough description of the importance of sleep.

Below you will find a graph for hours of sleep by age and a list of sleep hygiene ideas.