The symptoms of poor sleep can be characterized by snoring, the syndrome of “restless legs”, the difficulty in falling asleep (more than 15-20 minutes), nightmares, insomnia, and night terrors.

It is needless to say, that restless sleep affects the child’s daily activities in a negative way. Sleep is an important part of development. The development of cognitive skills and the ability to think, learn and analyze also depend on whether the child gets enough sleep, especially at the age from 1 to 3 years.

Not all parents pay attention to the child’s snoring. Such a situation is normal if the baby has a cold, but there should be no snoring in the baby’s usual state. Snoring during sleep is a clear message that the child may be prone to sleep apnea and various breath problems during sleep. If the disease develops and is not treated, the consequences can be very unpleasant: an increased risk of hypertension, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

If you notice that your child has sleep problems, try to stick to the regime, walk in the fresh air more often, offer your child to play active outdoor games, and provide him or her with a healthy diet. If you cannot get rid of the problem in such a way, go to the doctor immediately, especially in the case of sleep apnea.

But surely this is not the case with Adele Enersen, who has no possibility to express her creativity in professional work, as she is on maternity leave. Adele devotes all her spare time to the baby, even when it sleeps. She makes photos of her daughter Mila and creates some special worlds around her, using the materials which come in handy: towels, clothing, household items. The main thing is to act quickly and quietly, because the child can wake up any moment.

It has been found in the course of the experiment that girls grow faster than boys. And with the growth, children gain weight and fat mass in particular. However, the researchers have not managed so far to clarify the mechanisms of sleep at night which are responsible for the growth of children and adolescents. The experts explain that the production of growth hormone happens mostly during sleep.

It has been noticed that children who suffer from certain sleep disorders grow not so fast. In addition, the immune system is strengthened during sleep. Therefore children need plenty of sleep to be healthy and keep growing.

Source of the image: Photl.

The first attack of the disease appeared when Nathalie was 17 years old. She felt tired at work and sat down to have a rest. Just a couple of minutes later she was soundly sleeping in her chair. All her colleagues’ attempts to wake Natalie were in vain. During her lifetime, Nathalie Hoyland has already overslept a few of their birthdays and her friends’ weddings, as well as many months of work. In the intervals of wakefulness, the girl feels good, except for the periods of physical collapse and confusion of consciousness.

Now the Englishwoman has been pregnant for six months and feels extremely worried that she might oversleep the most significant moments in her life. The girl admits that she cannot help thinking she loses a lot of great moments and sensations during her pregnancy. But what terrifies her most of all is the fact that another attack may happen to her after giving birth.

Source of the image: Photl.

The study that embraced more than 300 children aged from 4 to 10 investigated the interrelations of sleep schedules and Body Mass Indexes (BMI) of pre-teens. The results, published in the Pediatrics journal, show that the recommended amount of sleep places children at the bottom of the obesity risk scale. On the other hand, those who have an irregular sleep pattern or sleeping problems run the risk of being overweight by 4.4 times.

Sleep deprivation is fraught with other health threats like abnormal levels of cholesterol, insulin and the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein; these factors can later raise the possibility of developing cardiovascular diseases or type 2 diabetes.

Scientists requested that parents allow their children get as much sleep as they want and stay in bed as long as they want during weekends. The recommended 9.5 hours per night was found to correlate with the healthiest metabolism.

Moreover, when children who get insufficient sleep make up for the deprivation on weekends or during holidays, it can lower the risk of growing up overweight by about 3 times. But catching up on missed sleep is a longer process where one has to put in practically the complete amount of sleep lost during weekdays.

Source of the image: Photl.

According to a psychological article published in Plos One magazine, this results in reducing their mother’s depression by 40 per cent as they get a chance to sleep better too.

The study authors emphasize that crying is not detrimental to infant’s mental health and when left alone crying they develop skills that help them fall asleep by themselves, instead of relying on being rocked into sleep by their parents.

Researchers clarify that these methods are appropriate for babies over six months of age. Such age restrictions are explained by the fact that newly born babies need to be fed at night while six month olds have to be gradually withdrawn from the night eating habit.

Source of the image: photl.com.

Researchers at the Kyushu University in Japan interviewed almost 2,000 school-goers and found that those who go to bed early are less likely to face behavioral problems and have better classroom performance. Researchers say that the lack of sleep interferes with biorhythms, leading to tiredness, nervousness and tendency to behave abnormally. In addition, children who go to bed late typically watch more TV and do not attend extracurricular classes at school.

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A new study on the processes behind SIDS published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals the interrelations between a high SIDS risk and a low level of a neurochemical known as serotonin in the brain. Serotonin regulates breathing and heart rate during sleep, the period when children are threatened by SIDS most. A change in the serotonin level may influence the breathing to a fairly great extent, which can be especially serious when an infant falls asleep face down and is likely to breathe in most of the carbon dioxide he or she exhales.

Therefore one of the most effective ways to ward off SIDS is to see that the child goes to sleep face up, reminds Alan Guttmacher, director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Infants who died of SIDS also show a low level of the enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase, a brain chemical involved in the production of serotonin.

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Breast milk contains various ingredients such as nucleotides that play major role in sleep control at night. New study carried out in Spain showed breast milk ingredients greatly fluctuate during the day. Researchers looked at three nucleotides in milk – adenosine, guanosine and uridine – which act as stimulants or sedatives, causing a healthy sleep, or, on the contrary, restlessness. Researchers examined the milk breast ingredients taken from 30 women during the day (6 to 8 samples were examined). The highest level of nucleotides was found at night time, from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

According to lead author Cristina Sanchez, this explains how breast milk can make babies sleepy. You won‘t brew some coffee for someone who’s going to bed. The same is true with breast milk. It contains special “daytime” ingredients that stimulate baby’s activity at daylight and “night time” ingredients that help baby to rest. To ensure healthy diet, breast milk should be given to a baby at the same time as it’s been expressed. Storing expressed milk is a mistake, according to experts.

Source of the image: sxc.hu/profile/Carin.

Experts warn the safest sleeping place for a baby is a baby cot beside the parent’s bed. There were a number of infant deaths when the parents slept with them on sofa. British experts found that parents were aware of the dangers related to sleeping with their babies in one bed, but they were not informed about other places in home.

The study says cot deaths were greatly linked to alcohol and drug abuse. Also, sleeping on a pillow is a big risk for your baby.

The study author, Prof. Peter Fleming from Bristol University says that many parents get up in the middle of the night to feed their baby on a sofa or an armchair, thinking it is safer than breastfeeding in bed. He warns that this is a mistake. It’s crucial that parents don’t sleep with their baby beside them on a sofa because it is very risky. Dr. Fleming warns this is 25 times more risky than sleeping with baby beside you on the bed. Parents should get their baby back into baby cot after feeding.

More than 300 babies in Britain die every year from sudden death syndrome.

Source of the image: flickr.com/photos/treehouse1977.

The scientists examined images from 24 magazines, which are popular among women of the fertile age (20-40). The authors of the study examined the positions in which the sleeping babies were presented (they slept either on their side, stomach, or back). They also considered such dangerous condition for sleeping as overly soft bedding. The study examined images from the articles as well as advertisements.

Dr. Moon notes that there is big difference between what doctors recommend for preventing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and what mothers can see in magazines and other non-specialized literature. It is very important that young mothers understand that what they see in their favorite magazines may actually pose threat to their babies’ lives in real life.

American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies sleep on their backs, separately from parents, without numerous pillows, throws, and other soft items in order to lower the risks of SIDS.

Source of the image: sxc.hu/profile/RYoung.

The research gives exact figures: for every hour spent in active occupation – running about, climbing, and so on – the time a child is fast asleep after he or she hits the pillow is reduced by 5 or 6 minutes. Whereas every sedentary hour increases the time lapse by 3 minutes.

That puts the amount of daily activity of a child in a direct correlation with how fast he or she will be able to fall asleep. The shorter the time required to fall asleep, the study says, the longer we can expect the child to sleep.

There is an established link between getting less sleep and the risk of gaining excessive weight, but no other health problems seem to be involved, scientists say.

They underscored once again that physical activity is an important factor for getting good sleep as well as for keeping in shape, and having normal weight.

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Birth size, the study says, is in direct dependence on the development of the nervous system. A smaller child was discovered to be more prone to having breath difficulties during sleep which will lead to disturbed sleep and maybe nightmares in later life.

Lead researcher Anu-Katriina Pesonen is sure about the dependence of good sleep on the weight and length of the child at birth. “We showed that even within children born healthy and at-term gestation, smaller body size at birth increases the risk for poor sleep.”

The birth size of the child is mostly governed by the genetic factor, but the child may be born smaller for several other reasons, including prenatal drinking even in moderate quantities and chronic depression.

No connection between prenatal smoking and sleep disturbances in the child has been discovered.

Source of the image: sxc.hu/profile/bonesdog.

The results of a study among 62 children aged 4-5 years old, presented at the annual Associated Professional Sleep Societies meeting in Seattle, pointed that a day regimen with the room for an afternoon nap is a good thing for a child’s psyche.

On the other hand, not sleeping in the afternoon is associated with the psyche disturbances in children like hyperactivity, increased anxiety and depressed feelings. Those were exactly the disturbances found in 23% of kids who didn’t sleep in the afternoon.

It is the fact that children, as they reach the age of 4-6 years old, are reluctant to sleep in the afternoon, preferring staying active for resting. So Brian Crosby, the author of the study, encourages the parents to be more insistent as they urge their kids to sleep in the afternoon.

Source of the image: flickr.com/photos/drh.

Discipline Your Eating and Drinking Habits

Absolutely No Smoking and Alcohol

Nicotine and alcohol are like poison to your baby, and these are also responsible for insomnia.

Drink Less Liquid in the Evening

Of course you should drink a lot of water during pregnancy in the day overall, but if you drink less in the late afternoon and evenings, then this means less chances of having to wake up at night for a bathroom break.

Take Less Caffeine

Reduce the amount of caffeine related substances like coffee or tea; soda and chocolate too are risky. It is best if you can refrain from consuming these things totally during the afternoon and evening.

Refrain from Heavy Meals and Spicy Foods before Sleeping

While spicy food may taste delicious and exotic, too much of it can cause heartburn and indigestion. So refrain from food like chili or tomatoes before sleeping. Also, eat a small amount of food before bedtime and try to do so at least 2 to 3 hours earlier so that your body gets plenty of time to digest the food.

If You Experience Nausea, Have Snacks before Sleeping

Nausea is very common for pregnant women in the first pregnancy trimester. Thus, a good idea is to eat plain snacks, such as crackers, very often, and especially prior to going to sleep.

Relax to Get a Good Sleep

Take Naps during the Day

A daytime nap lasting for half an hour to an hour is great for honing your memory, improving your awareness, and also decrease any signs of exhaustion. But don’t take a nap for too long, as this could upset your circadian rhythm and cause sleep problems.

Develop Relaxation Methods

A pregnant woman could try to practice such techniques as deep breathing to induce sleep. These are very helpful, so try to learn other similar techniques.

No Workouts in the Evening

Exercise is highly beneficial to the physical and mental health of a pregnant woman, but all workouts should be planned around the morning or noon. This ensures that your body gets enough time to recover from the exertion. If the only time you can work out is in the evening, then arrange it at least 3 to 4 hours before bedtime.

Don’t Stress Yourself with Worries

Don’t go to bed with loads of worries in your minds. Make a list of them if you absolutely have to and then start figuring them out in the morning. Having a bedside notepad is a good idea so that you can relieve yourself at night. However, if this seems too intimidating, then leave the worry list for the evening.

Discipline your sleeping habits

Follow a Sleep Routine

Try maintaining the same time for going to sleep and waking up every day.

Develop a Daily, Peaceful Pre-sleep Routine

Try doing some reading or showering half an hour before you sleep. This relaxes your mind and ensures a good night’s sleep.

Reserve Your Bed for Relaxation and Fun

No, don’t watch TV in bed; rather use the bed for only fun and relaxing activities like sleeping or sex. Light reading won’t hurt too, as said above.

Bedroom Should Be Sleeping Haven

Pregnant women feel warmer than before, so the bedroom should be cooler. Light and noise contribute to an uncomfortable sleep, so try to shut those out.

Sleep on Your Left

Start developing this habit from tonight! Sleeping on the left side ensures that blood and nutrients smoothly course towards the baby and the kidneys remove waste products. This position is also very comfortable for pregnant women whose belly is already large.

What to Do if You Are Still Insomniac?

Leave the Bed

If you can’t fall asleep in half an hour, it’s a wise idea to get up and, for example, go to another room. Relaxing music or a magazine helps to doze off. As soon as you feel sleepy, hit the bed.

Don’t Panic

If you happen to wake up at night, don’t worry. This is actually very common in pregnant women. Even if your sleep pattern might seem out of control right now, if you practice the above suggestions, you will soon develop a comfortable routine.

Source of the image: sxc.hu/profile/tizwas01.