Normal Sleep

Sleep is essential to a child's health and growth. Sleep promotes alertness, memory and performance for day to day activities. Children who get enough sleep are more likely to function better and are less prone to behavioural problems and moodiness. It is essential for parents to start early and help their children develop good sleep habits.

How much sleep should my child get?

Each child is different and has different sleep needs. The following table displays recommended hours of sleep for different ages.

Should my child have a nightly routine?

A tip for developing good sleeping habits in children is to follow a nightly routine. A bedtime ritual makes it easier for your child to relax, fall asleep and sleep through the night. Set bedtime to the same time every night. Make bedtime a positive and relaxing experience through quiet reading or soothing music. Avoid stimulating screentime - TV, computers or DVDs. Create a bedroom environment conducive to sleep (e.g. low light, cool temperature, insulated from loud noise).

Should I encourage my child to fall sleep on their own?

Have your child form positive associations with sleeping. A child should not need a parent to help him/her fall asleep. One recent study demonstrated that having your child sleep in your bed puts them at risk for suffocation or strangulation. The child who falls asleep on his or her own will be better able to return to sleep during normal night time awakenings and sleep throughout the night.

What are the common sleep disorders found in children?

Nightmares often occur at times of transition, stress or change in a child's routine. They usually occur later in the night and are remembered the next day. Fortunately, nightmares tend to go away naturally. Strategies that assist in alleviating nightmares include encouraging your child to talk about the nightmare, discussing comforting images before bedtime and avoiding television immediately before bedtime.

Sleep Terrors/Sleep Walking occurs most frequently from 4-8 years of age. These sleep disruptions occur during the early part of the night. The child is both asleep and awake at the same time and often has no memory of the event the next day. Waking or comforting the child is usually not helpful as it prolongs the event. Be sure your child's room and your house is safe. Most important, encourage your child to get enough sleep.

Sleep Apnoea is a serious disorder in which there are pauses in breathing during sleep. Children with sleep apnoea may snore loudly, experience restless sleep and be sleepy during the day. Enlarged tonsils or adenoids, allergies, weight problems and other medical problems may contribute to sleep apnoea.

Narcolepsy is often first noticed in puberty, but may occur as early as ten years of age. Children with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness and an uncontrollable desire to sleep even when they get enough sleep.

Although older people spend about the same amount of time dreaming (also known as REM or rapid eye movement sleep) as younger people do, they have reduced deeper sleep and often tend to wake more.

Insomnia is the most common complaint of the elderly and it can be brought on or worsened by numerous conditions including medical illness and medications. The use of alcohol to help you sleep better at night is a misconception as it will cause frequent awakenings as well as frequent urination during the night. Depression is often associated with insomnia and is often triggered by the loss of a loved one.

Becoming aware of your habits such as what you eat and drink and when; what medications you take and when may help you determine the cause of your restless sleep.

Staying physically active can also help keep you from sleeping too much during the day and improve your night time sleep. Walking, gardening, strength training, stretching and yoga are good exercises for better quality sleep; however seek medical advice before beginning any form of physical activity.

Temperature, light and noise changes can also affect your internal clock. So it is important to keep your environment and your schedule as comfortable as possible and to avoid sudden or drastic changes.

Sleep disturbances in adult women are usually associated with menstrual cycle, pregnancy and motherhood.  Living a fast paced lifestyle can often reduce the amount of sleep required by the body and signs of fatigue are sometimes ignored.  Continuous fatigue can lead to daytime sleepiness, poor concentration and other daytime problems.

Ageing can have physical and hormonal effects on the quality of sleep, and may result in frequent wakenings during the night. Additionally, sleep may be disturbed when women experience stress, depression, fear or other strong emotions.

A woman's menstrual cycle may bring discomfort and result in increased wakefulness during sleep. Dreams may become more vivid and daytime sleepiness may increase as well as increased fatigue and sleeping longer overall, during the night.

In pregnancy, an increase in the hormone progesterone associated with pregnancy is the most likely cause of daytime fatigue and the need for longer night time sleep.  The final trimester of pregnancy is most commonly associated with poor sleep quality and the number of night time awakenings is increased significantly. The most common causes of these sleep disruptions include: leg cramps, backache, heartburn, movements of the foetus, general discomfort of pregnancy and increased frequency of urination. 

During menopause the amount of deep sleep decreases, sleep becomes lighter and more awakenings occur during the night. A decrease in the hormone oestrogen can cause repeated awakenings due to the sensation of heat and sweating, increased heart rate and feeling of anxiety.  Although hot flushes usually last only a few minutes, in severe cases a woman may wake up as often as hourly. 

Following menopause a woman's sleep grows lighter and more fragmented. It can become more difficult to maintain long hours of uninterrupted sleep and to maintain long hours of wakefulness during the day.