Baby Sleep: What The Research Says About The Importance of Sleep, Part Two

March 29, 2008

As stated in part one of this article, minor sleep loss over a period of time can affect a child’s behavior, health and ability to learn. Cognitive functioning refers to how the brain takes in and processes information. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to assess how much a child’s cognitive abilities are affected when s/he is overtired. Please visit www.child-works.com to access a checklist for overtired behavior. Knowing whether your child is overtired and, if necessary, correcting this is the best approach for enabling your child to intellectually perform at his/her optimal level.

 

Cognitive Functioning
Realizing that lack of sleep affects mood and behavior is easy because it is tangible. We can feel it in ourselves and see it in others. Lack of sleep also has a clear impact on learning and processing of memory. Mothers of newborns have a unique window into the effects of this. Many can tell outrageous stories of going to the grocery store still wearing slippers or completely forgetting a conversation that occurred minutes ago! It is very similar for babies and older children. Overtired children have greater difficulty concentrating and are less alert than their well rested counterparts. Children learn by watching. Research consistently shows that overtired babies are not able to keenly observe and process what they are watching as well as rested babies. Some parents have reported a noticeable acceleration in reaching developmental milestones once their child was “sleep trained” and no longer overtired.

Because overtired children are easily bored they are less likely to play independently for as long as well rested children. Learning to play independently is an important life long skill. During this type of play children become more creative, more resourceful and develop emotional maturity. Studies conducted on infants as young as five months old found that those children who slept longer during the day had longer attention spans. The studies looking at seven to eleven year olds reported that those kids who experienced poor sleep exhibited more communication problems and intellectual deficits than those without sleep problems.

It is important that parents understand the link between sleep and the development and maintenance of learning and processing of memory. For our children, regardless how young, we need to ensure they receive adequate sleep in order to optimize their ability to learn. To learn more about children’s sleep please visit www.child-works.com

Rachel Steinberg founded Child-Works, LLC., which provides parents with research based information on children’s sleep and other parenting issues. Child-Works believes in understanding the unique dynamics of each family. Through this individualized approach, Rachel has helped countless parents and their children achieve a better nights sleep. For more information please visit http://www.child-works.com or call 720.289.6308.

Tags: newborn/baby sleep/baby bedtime

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Baby Sleep: What The Research Says About The Importance of Sleep, Part One

We all know that sleep serves a purpose, but many parents are surprised to learn the complex functions of sleep in children. Sleep is a time of intense neurologic and physiologic activity; there are times where the brain is more active during sleep than awake. For children this is especially true. By the age of three the average child has spent more time sleeping than all wakeful times combined. Research clearly shows that sleep affects behavior, health and learning. This is true for young and old alike. For the purposes of this article the primary focus will be on the role of sleep in children.

Many parents are surprised to learn that minor sleep loss over a period of time can completely alter a child in the aforementioned areas. Being overtired changes a child’s physiology. This hormonal shift is what affects a child’s ability to feel, perform and behave well. A child’s behavior provides the most obvious signs of an overtired child. Please visit www.child-works.com for a checklist of overtired behaviors.

Behavior Parents have experienced accrued sleep loss at one time or another. If we were to make a list of how we felt and behaved when we were behind on our sleep, followed by a list of how we perceive our children feel and behave when they are behind on their sleep, there would be significant overlap. Parents and children exhibit similar behavior when overtired, however, many times children are expected to behave as if they are well rested whether they are or not.

If a list of behavior was generated it would include the following: grumpy, irritable, short tempered, argumentative, cries more, hits and/or grabs more, whines, etc. An important addition to this list is hyperactivity. Many parents believe that their child is not tired until 10pm at night because the child is “bouncing of the walls” and are surprised to learn that this seemingly wide awake behavior is a classic sign of being tired. Although it seems counterintuitive, the body has a neurohormonal stress response in order to adapt and stay awake. This physiologic response increases levels of cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine. These hormones help jolt the body so it is able to remain awake. The more overtired children become the more these hormones are released, thus making it increasingly difficult to fall asleep and perpetuating a cycle of poor sleep habits. For information on how to end this cycle please visit www.child-works.com

If you reflect on how likable you are when overtired, it is easy to extend this to children. Many researchers have found that toddlers with sleep problems, most typically night waking, had more difficult temperaments. Two to five year olds that slept less had higher levels of aggression and children who were tired complained more about feeling bored leading people to view these children as lazy. Three year olds who napped were more adaptable to their environment than those who did not. What does this mean? Children who adapt well are able to make transitions easier both at home and within the classroom and are better at socializing and playing well with peers.

It is important for parents to understand that children do not outgrow these behaviors without the help of adequate sleep. Research is clear in this assertion as well. Children with sleep problems that persisted from eight months to three years of age illustrated increased tantrums and other management difficulties by the age of three. On the flip side, studies that analyzed children ages seven to eleven found that those who slept more experienced less hopelessness, a better self-concept and were more adept at sociability and activity.

written by Rachel Steinberg

Tags: baby sleep tips/children sleep/baby

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Using Music To Calm Your Baby

 

 

 

 

 

 

Music is a wonderful way for you to calm and soothe your baby, especially during the first year. How many times have your heard parents say that there was nothing that they could do with their crying, fussing baby until they tried music. This is because music does indeed soothe the savage beast, or in this case, the baby.

There are certain distinct sounds that have been proven to calm even fussy babies: the sounds of nature, white noise, and music. Even if your baby isn’t fussing or crying you may want to use music as often as you can to encourage that feeling of calm and peacefulness. All it takes is a few minutes every day and before you know it your baby will be looking forward to hearing that certain song emanating from the CD player.

There is nothing complicated or mysterious about introducing your baby to music from day one. You don’t need to search for the perfect song or a certain type of music. All you have to do is start by having your baby listen to your favorite songs and music. If jazz is on the top of your list, let your baby listen to the sounds of John Coltrane as he sits in his baby seat watching you in the kitchen. It doesn’t matter if you play the schmaltzy songs of the eighties or some wicked African beat, your baby is going to listen and his mood is going to be altered by any musical sound that he hears.

Besides the music that you yourself can introduce your baby to, there are hundreds of CDs on the market today that are filled with baby songs and lullabies. At the end of the day you may want to play a CD of quiet baby songs that have a slower beat. There are so many CDs for you to choose from that you will have a hard time making up your mind. Choose something that interests you. Many baby CDs will have lullabies and faster beat songs on the same CD.

Playing music has other benefits besides soothing your fussy, crying baby. These benefits include:

- Babies are introduced to musical sounds.
- Music enhances your baby’s behavior and cognitive skills.
- Relieves stress for the entire family.
- Will stimulate curiosity and an interest in music.

Take time to find a variety of music CDs for your baby to listen to. You’ll soon notice which music your baby is most drawn to and can use that music when he is particularly fussy or is crying.

written by JT

Tags: baby song/baby lullabies/music for baby

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How To Get Your Baby To Sleep - Naturally!

March 28, 2008

 


 

 

 

 

One first step in helping your child get to sleep is to have a regular relaxing bedtime routine or ritual.

This can help your child to both mentally and physically prepare for dream time. You might try a warm bath followed by a bedtime story or a nighttime meditation that you read to your child to help him relax and get ready for sleep.

It is important to give your child plenty of time for his bedtime ritual. This way you both avoid feeling rushed, anxious or stressed. Try to make your child’s personal bedtime ritual as comfortable and relaxing as possible.

In addition, many natural therapies have been shown to relax children and help them to calmly go to sleep.

Touch can be a soothing tool. Without any doubt, you do not need to be a professional massage therapist to provide your child with the gentle strokes he needs. By providing a nurturing massage you will ease sore muscles and encourage relaxation. You can use any natural oil for your massage. If you have it at home, you might try grape seed oil or olive oil. Both of which are safe to be ingested if your little guy touches his mouth.

You may also try creating an herbal packed sleep sachet. To create a relaxing sachet, place a half cup each of chamomile flowers, lavender flowers, lemon balm and rosebuds into a small cloth and tie closed. Then place this sachet inside your child’s pillowcase just before bedtime.

For years parents have tried a cup of warmed milk to soothe their child at bedtime, but many have found that a cup of sweetened chamomile tea can be much more effective and really do the trick.

A warm bath with a couple drops of lavender oil has soothing and calming effects (it is not recommended that you use essential oils with children under 3 months of age. If you are unsure if you should use essential oils, consult your child’s physician.)*

Soothing music can also help a child relax and prepare for sleep. Before bedtime, ask your child to help you select their favorite bedtime music so they feel comfortable and empowered to have played a role in creating their own unique bedtime ritual.

* Always consult your child’s physician with any questions or concerns relating to the proper care of your little one.

written by Tina Allen

About the Author:
With over a decade of service to families, Tina Allen has become an internationally respected parent educator and expert in infant/children’s massage therapy. Her innovative approach to children’s health has allowed her the unique opportunity to educate families and professionals throughout the world in nurturing touch. http://www.liddlekidz.com

Tags: bedtime music/baby lullabies/Soothing music

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Tips For Helping Your Baby Sleep

 

Hush little baby, don’t say a word… Sleep, it may seem like one those things a new parent, especially a mom, has permanently forsaken. Some long gone luxury like wearing a white shirt without baby goo on it. If you are a sleep deprived parent you know it is important to get your baby to sleep on his own. Unfortunately, babies come programmed to sleep with mommy, after all they did that while in her womb. So, it is understandable that it will take some time for baby to get accustomed to falling asleep on his own.

Many tricks for helping your little one fall asleep involve setting up a nighttime routine. Such as following the same schedule, of bathing, feeding then bed or using certain items such as a blankie, or stuffed animal, maybe one with the heart sound, that your baby can associate with sleep. If, after several months your baby still cannot sleep on his own, you may want to look into trying the Ferber Method.

The Ferber Method was introduced by Dr. Richard Ferber as a way to wean a baby from needing mommy in order to sleep. This method, though not for everyone, is normally effective within the first few weeks of starting. It is not recommended to start the Ferber Method unless you have the time to devote to it as it may well cause you some further sleepless nights, especially at the start. Also, as mentioned, this method is not for everyone, as you must be able to listen to your little one cry. If you allow your baby to sleep with you or you sleep in his room, in order to quite him or because you are simply too tired to stay awake, then this method will not work.

To start this method you will put your baby to bed as you always do. It is important that he is tired but awake, so that he can call asleep on his own. Once you leave the room, and he starts crying, let him cry for five minutes. After five minutes you can to in and console him. Only stay in the room a short while, and do not pick him up or rock him, even if he continues to cry. Now, leave the room again, this time wait ten minutes before proceeding as above. Next time wait 15 minutes, and remain at a maximum of 15 minutes the rest of the night, eventually your baby will go to sleep without you in the room.

The second night of this method, start out at ten minutes vs. five, before entering baby’s room. Next move up to 15 minutes, followed by 20. Each night increase the wait time by five minutes.

By sticking to this method your baby will fall asleep on his own. While it may seem cruel, or be hard on you to let your baby cry, the Ferber Method is safe and a successful way of teaching baby to sleep by himself.

written by  Abby Johnson

About the Author:

Abby Johnson is a staff writer at Kids Digest and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including Lifestyle Gazette

Buy Dr. Richard Ferber’s book

Tags: Ferber Method/baby sleep/baby

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Newborn Baby’s First Nights At Home: Tips To Help Your Baby Learn To Sleep Throughout The Night

You have a new baby, oh what wonder and joy this little guy or gal is, however, you have not had a good night’s sleep since being home with this wonderful little creature. Don’t give up. You can help your new baby sleep all night, every night. And remember, you are certainly not alone. Sleepless nights are something common for most new parents.

Newborn babies often sleep 16 or more hours per day. Their sleep time, however, is often done in stretches of just one to two hours at a time. As your baby’s nervous system matures a more consistent sleep schedule emerges and he or she can go longer between feedings.

By the time your new baby reaches three months of age he or she will probably be sleeping for as long as five hours during the night. At six months of age, nighttime stretches of nine to 12 hours are most likely.

Look over the following tips to help your baby become a good sleeper:

• Encourage activity during the day: During the waking hours with your baby keep him or her busy by talking, singing and playing. Provide your baby with lots of light. This type of stimulation during the day can help promote better sleep at night.

• Monitor your baby’s naps: Allow your baby regular naps during the day and not large chunks of time that may cause your baby to stay wide awake at night.

• Follow a consistent bedtime routine: If you bath, cuddle, sing or read to your baby just before bedtime he or she will soon associate these activities with sleep.

• Put your baby to bed drowsy but awake: This technique helps your baby associate bed with the process of falling asleep. Place your baby to sleep on his or her back. Clear the crib or bassinet of blankets and other soft items.

• Give your baby time to settle down: If your baby fusses when you first put him to bed, allow him or her to find a comfortable position for falling asleep. If the crying does not stop within a reasonable amount of time, try speaking calmly to your baby and stroke his or her back to provide reassurance of your presence.

• Consider using a pacifier: If your baby has trouble settling down, try using a pacifier at naptime and bedtime to help reduce his anxiety. One problem of using a pacifier might be if he or she loses during the middle of the night and cries for its replacement. Guess who has to get up in the middle of the night to find the pacifier for baby?

• Expect frequent stirring at night: Don’t be alarmed if you hear your baby squirming and wriggle as they sleep. This is quite normal. Some babies can be noisy. All these things may simply be a sign of settling down. Unless you suspect your baby is hungry or uncomfortable (needing a diaper change or whatever), it is OK to wait a few minutes to see if he or she finally settles down. If not, then better check on baby.

• Keep nighttime care low-key: When you feed your baby or care for he or she during the night, use dim lights, a soft voice and very calm movements. This will teach your baby that it is time to sleep and nothing else.

Some babies sleep throughout the night the first night home. I know my baby slept through the night straight from the beginning of our nights at home. She was such a good baby I would always say.

However, not all babies are alike; respect your baby’s preferences. Take time to understand your baby’s schedule and ways of communicating. They will eventually settle down and sleep the whole night through. If your baby is still fussy at nighttime by age 6 months, ask your baby’s doctor for instruction and suggestions.

The goal here is for everyone to get a good night’s sleep. It is not a measure of your parental skill or a sign of a good or bad baby. I just always thought my baby was the absolute best at everything, and sleeping throughout the night was just one more reason I thought she was “perfect.” She has paid me back though as an adult, and what I got to say about her now is not the same…..At times I ask myself is this the same person I use to know as a baby, toddler and child?

Source: Mayo Clinic, personal knowledge

Disclaimer: The information in this article is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about specific medical concerns.

written by Connie Limon

About the Author:
Connie Limon. Please visit our collection of Nutrition and Health articles at http://nutritionandhealthhub.com Articles are available for FREE reprint to your newsletter, website or blog. Please sign up for our weekly nutrition and health tips.

Tags: newborn/baby sleep/baby bedtime

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