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LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – A child psychiatrist at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center says poor sleep affects more than how tired a child feels the next day
Dr. Natalie Scanlon, assistant professor of psychiatry at TTUHSC, said summer often disrupts children’s sleep schedules
“Sleep is one of the foundational things that is needed not only for physical health but for mental health,” Scanlon said. “And so often times what we have seen happen over the summer is kids’ sleep schedules get a little bit wonky to the point that they can even reverse themselves. So, kids are staying up all night and then sleeping during the day.”
Sleep needs for children
Scanlon said children need between 8 and 12 hours of sleep a night
“And ideally, that sleep should be sound and REM and deep and consistent sleep,” Scanlon said. “And without it, the brain just doesn’t have an opportunity to declutter at night, clear out the clutter, and recharge itself for all of the learning and doing that happens the next day.”
Scanlon said lost sleep can also affect a child’s mental health long-term
Advice for parents
Scanlon said parents should validate that a difficult night affects the whole family
“I don’t think it’s helpful to blame the parents or blame the child, but my advice to parents would be validate that it was a difficult night for everybody right?” Scanlon said. “It was a difficult night for the kid, for the parents.”
Scanlon recommends creating a plan for the following night
“Then saying something like, it’s going to be really important for us to work together tonight for you to fall asleep and hopefully stay asleep so that tomorrow can be better,” Scanlon said. “And so coming up with that actionable plan for the next day is probably the most helpful thing.”
A sleep epidemic
Scanlon said the U.S. is facing a sleep epidemic. She pointed to children’s access to smartphones and laptops, poor eating habits and high-caffeine drinks as factors making it harder to wind down
“We expect a lot of kids during the day, right?” Scanlon said. “We expect them to be at school for nearly the equivalent of an adult workday. We expect them to socialize and move their bodies and learn new things and apply those concepts. And so sleep is one of the biggest things we need to set them up for success with.”
Scanlon said a consistent bedtime, less screen time and a calm routine before bed can help kids catch up on sleep and be ready to learn in the classroom
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