Sleep - Why we need it and how to get it

From my earliest days in nursing, sleep has been an important topic for parents and children.
At all stages of our little one's development and our own development as parents, sleep is important. The ramifications of not enough sleep are huge. Children will learn to cope without sleep but that does not mean we will not see other areas of their life affected.

So why do we need sleep?
Sleep helps with our immune system. Helping us to fight illness and regulate hormones. Sleep helps with muscle repair and memory. When we don't get enough sleep the body's ability to heal itself is compromised. When our little one's don't get enough sleep this can have an impact on the whole family. A child who is constantly sleep deprived will be more sickly and require more time off school and thus have less time learning, having impacts continuing through their life.

Sleep also helps with emotional regulation. As adults we may be irritable and teary. For toddlers this will result in mood swings from grumpy to hyperactive. Temper tantrums will increase, the ability to calm oneself being compromised more than usual. For infants, the ability to be further away from their loved ones will be more difficult and the want for connection more intense. For older children, the ability to sit still and follow instructions will be compromised. This can lead to feelings of shame and lower self esteem increasing a host of other responses that are difficult to overcome.

Sleep helps with memory consolidation. Physical development, muscle memory and consolidation of what has been learnt in a day is massive for little people. We know that what happens in early childhood has long lasting effects, which may continue into adult years. We want to create a safe structured environment so our child has the best possible start.

Routine
Kids love them, personally I love them as well…. Generally they work well for all age groups. Children feel safer knowing what is coming next and will transition better if they understand what is happening. Especially for our little ones that feel a bit more anxious, routines are a great thing. When good routines are in place, the occasional change to it, is easier to cope with for everybody as they know this is not the norm, but that things will return to normal tomorrow.
Whether it's holiday time, or time at grandparents the occasional change will be less impactful, when good routines and structures are in place.

Remember our little ones need connection. So no matter how old they are touch and connection are key to any good routine. Especially for little babies, where touch and connection are vital. But even when toddlers start to gain some independence, touch is still vital and sometimes missed as we as parents get busy and just want our little ones to go down for the night.