We are very focused on children and sleep and found this article released by
Travelodge in the UK. In their research it found that traditional bedtime rituals are becoming a thing of the past, with 67 per cent of
children missing out on a bedtime story. UK parents are in desperate need for sleep schooling as video games, mobile
phones and TV turn children into zombies -
Up to two thirds of children
in the UK are not getting enough sleep - with 74 per cent actually getting less
sleep than the amount recommended for adults - according to new research
released today.
The Travelodge Child Sleep Study, based on the sleep
patterns of over 2,000 children aged between six and 15 years, reveals that the
average child does not go to bed until 11.20pm. Chronic levels of sleep
deprivation are affecting children’s ability to learn and develop, with over
three quarters (79 per cent) saying they find it difficult to concentrate at
school. Eight out of ten (82 per cent) of children who took part in the study
reported extreme daytime tiredness and over a quarter (26 per cent) admitted to
falling asleep in class at least once a week.
The research found that
nearly half of children do not follow a regular bedtime routine and do not go to
bed at the same time each night. 60 per cent of kids said they felt more ‘grown
up’ if they were allowed to stay up longer.
Traditional bedtime rituals
are a thing of the past, with 67 per cent of children missing out on a bedtime
story. Instead, children are falling asleep to television shows, computer games
or DVDs. More than half (56 per cent) said they stay up late playing computer
games, browsing the internet, texting their friends and watching television. 69
per cent of children play on a games console every evening, and 62 per cent
watch You Tube every night. Some admitted to staying up till 3am or 4am playing
on their consoles, whilst others said they had been up since 5am doing the same.
This pre-bedtime activity is turning British children into living
zombies, and as a result young Britons appear to be going through life “stoned”
because they sacrifice rest in favour of spending more hours at their computer
or games console.
These bad bedtime habits mean 62 per cent of children
regularly find it difficult to sleep.
The Travelodge Child Sleep Study also
highlighted issues around the quality of children’s sleep. Child sleep problems
are widespread, with 77 per cent regularly suffering from disorders such as
sleepwalking, nightmares, snoring, restless legs and talking in their sleep.
Further findings from the study showed that parents have no idea of the
recommended levels of sleep for children or the direct effect of lack of sleep
on physical and mental health. Experts suggest children need between 10-12 hours
of sleep a night to reach their full potential, but 74 per cent of parents
thought 7 hours were sufficient.
Dr Pat Spungin, child psychologist and
family life specialist, said: "I agree there is very little information
available to parents about the importance of a good night's sleep. Parents
should be concerned about the effects of sleep deprivation on their children, as
lack of sleep has a negative effect on a child's mood, concentration and
attention. Research also shows that children who are sleep deprived do less well
academically, show more problem behaviour and have lower levels of social
skills.
“Scientific evidence shows that adequate night-time sleep is just
as important as healthy eating and regular exercise for children to develop.
With lack of sleep linked to poor academic performance, behavioural problems
including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obesity, these
research findings are alarming.”
Of the 2,000 parents also surveyed as
part of the Travelodge Child Sleep Study, 40 per cent said their children did
not understand the benefits of getting a good night’s sleep and nearly half (47
per cent) said bedtime was a cause of arguments with their children. To avoid
tearful tantrums a quarter of parents admitted to bribing their children to go
to bed, using sweets, toys and even money as an incentive.
Two thirds of
parents were unaware of the link between sleep deprivation and child obesity,
and three quarters of parents were unaware of the association with drug and
alcohol abuse in later life.
Whilst 79 per cent of parents said teaching
children about the benefits of a good night’s sleep was important, over half (55
per cent) feel there is inadequate support and advice to help parents fulfil
this duty. 56 per cent of parents believe the importance of sleep should be
taught in schools to help address the problem.
In a bid to tackle child
sleep deprivation, Travelodge has launched a ‘Sleep School’ to help raise
awareness of the issue and provide parents with expert guidance and advice. A
free downloadable ‘School Kid Slumber Guide’ is available for parents and
teachers alike at www.travelodge.co.uk. (The guide can be found in the news
section on the site)
Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge spokeswoman, said: “As a
‘retailer of sleep’, we found the results of our Child Sleep Study very
worrying. It is evident that parents need help in sleep schooling and we believe
our ‘Sleep School’ is a much-needed step in the right direction and will help
support both parents and teachers in communicating the value of a good night’s
sleep to schoolchildren.”
Listed below are the sleeping guidelines for
children and tips to help parents ensure their children are getting a good
night’s sleep:
2 to 3 years 10.5 to 12.5 hours
4 to 5 years 12
hours
6 years 11.5 hours
7 to 11 years 9.5 to 11.5 hours
1.
Establish a regular time for bed each night and do not vary from it
2. Create
a relaxing bedtime routine, give your child a warm bath or shower
3. Make
bedtime fun – read your child a story
4. Do not give your child any food or
drinks with caffeine prior to bedtime
5. Avoid giving your child a large meal
before bedtime
6. Make after dinner playtime a relaxing time as too much
activity close to bedtime can keep children awake
7. Exercise should be
included in your child’s day to help them sleep well
8. There should be no TV
or music playing while your child is going to sleep
9. Ensure the temperature
in the bedroom is comfortable
10. Make sure the noise level in the house is
low
We have produced the
Good Night Sleep Tight Chart, which can help parents establish bedtime routines and enable their children to get the sleep the whole family needs. Available in the
UK , the
USA.,
Canada and
Australia.
