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Three strategies to make sure your kid gets enough sleep

Posted at 5:37 AM, Sep 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-15 05:37:24-04

Now that kids are back in class, participating in extracurricular activities and then doing homework at night, it can be easy for them to miss out on sleep.

If they do, it can take a big toll.

According to the National Institutes of Health, insufficient sleep is linked to reduced short-term memory and learning ability, negative mood, and poor productivity, among other things.

So how do you know how much sleep your kid should be getting?

It depends on their age.

Here’s a breakdown from NIH:

Age Recommended Amount of Sleep
Newborns 16–18 hours a day
Preschool-aged children 11–12 hours a day
School-aged children At least 10 hours a day
Teens 9–10 hours a day
Adults (including the elderly) 7–8 hours a day

If you find your kid isn’t getting enough shut-eye, here are some suggestions from NIH.

  • Make sure your kid goes to bed and wakes up at the same time every day – even on the weekends. If they want to sleep in a little one day, limit the difference to no more than an hour or it can affect their body’s sleep-wake rhythm.
  • An hour before bed-time they should avoid watching TV or using electronics.  The light may signal the brain it’s time to be awake.
  • Limit caffeine to earlier in the day.  The effects can last as long as eight hours.

To find more strategies that could help your kid get enough sleep, click here.