How to Raise a Smart Baby – Sleep on It!
SLEEP. A crucial part of a baby’s development. We all know this. Sleep, is also the way to raise a smart baby. Before we discuss how to sleep the right way, let’s see how the lack of sleep can affect our babies.
Unhealthy for the Heart
How many of you are going through this. Your child couldn’t get to sleep at night, and they cannot wake up in the morning for school? They end up being cranky, fussy and restless throughout the day. Some might even have poor appetite or experience anxiety. Anxiety increases the heart rate and this regular increase in heart rate is detrimental to the heart’s health.
Lowering the Immune System
Is your child skipping his afternoon nap regularly? Did you notice your child falling sick more often after he missed his afternoon nap for a period of time? The frequency of falling ill is “inversely proportional” to the number of sleep he gets every day. When a child does not have sufficient sleep, his body does not have sufficient rest and hence is unable to produce sufficient antibodies to fight invading viruses and bacteria.
A good sleep allows the child’s body and organs some time to rest, thereby improving the body’s immune system.
Affects the IQ
Research has shown that irregular sleeping hours or sleeping late will affect a child’s mental development. It affects their ability to read, perform mathematics and slows their reactions. The constant lack of sleep also affects their learning rate/ability in school. Having less than ideal results in school is common.
How much Sleep is Sufficient?
The number of hours of sleep required differs between age groups:
| Age | Recommended (hours) | Not Recommended (hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn (0-3 mths) | 14-17 | less than 11 more than 19 |
| Infant (4-11 mths) | 12-15 | less than 10 more than 18 |
| Toddler (1-2 yrs old) | 11-14 | less than 9 more than 16 |
| Preschoolers (3-5 yrs old) | 10-13 | less than 8 more than 14 |
| Primary (6-13 yrs old) | 9-11 | less than 7 more than 12 |
| Teens (14-17 yrs old) | 8-10 | less than 7 more than 11 |
| Youth (18-25 yrs old) | 7-9 | less than 6 more than 11 |
| Adult (26-64 yrs old) | 7-9 | less than 6 more than 10 |
| Seniors (above 65 yrs old) | 7-8 | less than 5 more than 9 |
The above table is recommended by experts who suggest that children sleep by 8.30PM and wake up after 7AM the next day.
In addition to this, professor Harriet Hiscock from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute further suggests the most appropriate sleeping time for children of different age groups:
| Age (Years) | Sleep Time | Sleep Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 | 7PM | 12-16 hours |
| 1-2 | 7.30PM | 11-14 hours |
| 3-5 | 8PM | 10-13 hours |
| 6-12 | 9PM | 9-12 hours |
Well, letting you baby or child sleep at 7.30PM or even at 8PM is rather difficult to achieve. Some of us barely just reached from at 7.30PM after picking the children from the infant care or childcare centres. Nevertheless, we should at the very least aim to let the kids sleep by 9PM.
Foods that Makes You Sleepy
Here are some recommended foods that helps enhance sleep quality:
 |
| Four simple foods to help you get a good night sleep. |
- Bananas. Bananas help promote sleep because they contain the natural muscle-relaxants magnesium and potassium.
- Warm Milk. Milk contains tryptophan, which is an amino acid used to manufacture the sleep hormone called melatonin.
- Cherry. Cherries juice supplies melatonin and improves sleep.
- Honey. Honey is said to contain the sleep inducing amino acid tryptophan that is useful for a good night sleep. (Only for children over 1 years old)
Good Night Everyone!
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