Sleep Problems (part 2)
Sleep Facts
- Children differ in their ability to sleep
– some are excellent at birth and throughout their childhood (lucky you)
– some are inherently more susceptible to disrupted sleep patterns
– it is normal for everyone (adults & children) to have brief wakenings during the night (most only last a few seconds or minutes and we go right back to sleep)
2. Sleep provides a restorative function for the body and the brain.
3. There are distinct stages of sleep:
a) nonREM (non rapid eye movement)
– restorative functions of sleep occur
– 4 different levels ranging from drowsiness to very deep
– lie quietly, very relaxed
– unlikely to dream
– usually in the first hours of sleep
b) REM sleep (rapid eye movement)
– brain waves become very busy
– usually later portion of sleep period
– heart and breathing rate becomes irregular
– blood pressure increases
– males have penile erection
– small twitches, body movement
– dream state
– temperature of the brain increases
Failure to get sufficient amounts of sleep at these various stages result in significant problems in physical and mental development. It also puts tremendous strain on parents and I frequently hear comments such as these from parents:
“I’m at the end of my rope.”
” We are at out wits end”.
” I’m totally exhausted”.
Some common sleep issues with children:
- bedtime resistors
- inability to fall asleep
- frequently waking in night – unable to return to sleep
- waking too early/ late
- falling asleep too early in evening
- snoring
- bedwetting
- nightmares / night terrors
- sleep walking
Subsequent posts will deal with a number of these problems.
Rick Harper has been providing ideas to parents for over 40 years.