This is an excellent article from Dr. Weissbluth's blog. Often you hear from parents that their kids don't need as much sleep but are "fine". I think it really varies and depends on each child's temperament. There can be overtired children who seem fine and have nice dispositions still BUT the point is how much better they could be if they are well-rested. A lot of children who are overtired have behavioural issues and are have mood swings, irritability, hyperactivity,etc. It is easier to see in these children how they would benefit from better sleep. So some parents may have easier children but that does not mean that good quality sleep is not beneficial for them (and note that he emphasizes quality which means not on the go naps and to have sleep at the optimal times, ie more in synch with the body's natural times, usually earlier in general). Think about how when you are really well rested how you feel. The same applies to our children!
Repost: “Personal Best” & “Hidden Problems”
March 31, 2011 by weissbluthmethod1. Children who miss naps and stay up too late might appear “fine” to their parents but they would appear better with better quality sleep.
All children are born with different temperaments, skills, and endowments; ask any mother of fraternal twins! These individual differences are part of the joy and challenges of parenting. For a discussion of individual differences in temperament, see the Posts dated 8/5/09, 8/7/09, 10/4/09, and 10/9/09.
There are also individual differences in nap duration so that at six months of age, some children take long naps and others take short naps and these patterns are stable over time until about two years of age. Adult research has shown there are individual differences in how resilient we are to performing on not enough sleep. Sleep, 2008-9: “Sleep deprivation-induced performance deterioration is more marked in some individuals than in others. These inter-individual differences in response to sleep deprivation have trait-like characteristics consistent with a genetic basis.” We should assume that some children pay a higher price than others when they are short on sleep.
So in families or cultures where babies and children are allowed to sleep out of synch with biologic circadian sleep rhythms (unhealthy sleep), I’m sure that this harms some children more than others. But I cannot imagine that if this unhealthy sleep is chronic and severe that it causes no harm in some children. You can’t fight circadian rhythms! But hold on, what about entire cultures (See Posts Children’s Sleep Around the World, 7/29/10 and Our “Tropical” Heritage, 8/2/10) where the children’s bedtime is very late?
Think of swimmers performance when the best time is achieved by the swimmer in a particular event. We call this her “personal best.” Child development is not a swimming contest but think of how are babies and children learn skills and express their emotions, talents and personalities. Parenting is not a competition but you can try to raise her to achieve her “personal best.”
I think healthy sleep has a permissive effect so that the resources of parents, family, and culture allow every baby and every child to be at her own “personal best.” I think that sweet, bright, and caring children who are receiving unhealthy sleep will become sweeter, brighter, and more caring when they get healthier sleep. My research shows that sleep modulates temperament so that sleeping better makes children more adaptable, cooperative, and calmer.
2. “Hidden Problems” are like post-menopausal thin bones from inadequate calcium intake during adolescence or cavities from too much sugar in the diet. It takes time for the problem to show itself. I suspect that sleep short babies and children are more at risk for educational/school/behavioral problems when older. I also suspect that when we and our children are more rested, we have more resilience to adverse events in our life so being well rested acts like a protective buffer.
Please send in your Comments on how sleeping better helped your child.
Marc
Marc
All children are born with different temperaments, skills, and endowments; ask any mother of fraternal twins! These individual differences are part of the joy and challenges of parenting. For a discussion of individual differences in temperament, see the Posts dated 8/5/09, 8/7/09, 10/4/09, and 10/9/09.
There are also individual differences in nap duration so that at six months of age, some children take long naps and others take short naps and these patterns are stable over time until about two years of age. Adult research has shown there are individual differences in how resilient we are to performing on not enough sleep. Sleep, 2008-9: “Sleep deprivation-induced performance deterioration is more marked in some individuals than in others. These inter-individual differences in response to sleep deprivation have trait-like characteristics consistent with a genetic basis.” We should assume that some children pay a higher price than others when they are short on sleep.
So in families or cultures where babies and children are allowed to sleep out of synch with biologic circadian sleep rhythms (unhealthy sleep), I’m sure that this harms some children more than others. But I cannot imagine that if this unhealthy sleep is chronic and severe that it causes no harm in some children. You can’t fight circadian rhythms! But hold on, what about entire cultures (See Posts Children’s Sleep Around the World, 7/29/10 and Our “Tropical” Heritage, 8/2/10) where the children’s bedtime is very late?
Think of swimmers performance when the best time is achieved by the swimmer in a particular event. We call this her “personal best.” Child development is not a swimming contest but think of how are babies and children learn skills and express their emotions, talents and personalities. Parenting is not a competition but you can try to raise her to achieve her “personal best.”
I think healthy sleep has a permissive effect so that the resources of parents, family, and culture allow every baby and every child to be at her own “personal best.” I think that sweet, bright, and caring children who are receiving unhealthy sleep will become sweeter, brighter, and more caring when they get healthier sleep. My research shows that sleep modulates temperament so that sleeping better makes children more adaptable, cooperative, and calmer.
2. “Hidden Problems” are like post-menopausal thin bones from inadequate calcium intake during adolescence or cavities from too much sugar in the diet. It takes time for the problem to show itself. I suspect that sleep short babies and children are more at risk for educational/school/behavioral problems when older. I also suspect that when we and our children are more rested, we have more resilience to adverse events in our life so being well rested acts like a protective buffer.
Please send in your Comments on how sleeping better helped your child.
Marc
Marc
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