Hunter Boyce | The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS) More than a quarter of parents find it a challenge to get their children to sleep, according to a new poll. Some of the problems can be explained by poor sleep hygiene , which involves a child’s environment and nighttime habits. According to the C.
S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health , which surveyed a national sample of parents to children 1-6 years old, 27% of respondents said they have trouble getting their kids to sleep. Those parents were found to be less likely to have bedtime routines, more likely to leave the TV on and more likely to stay in their child’s room until they fell asleep.
But there are other major factors at play, too. “Our report reinforces the common struggle of getting young children to sleep,” Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark, M.P.
H., said in a news release. “When this transition to bedtime becomes a nightly conflict, some parents may fall into habits that work in the moment but could set them up for more sleep issues down the road,” Clark continued.
“Establishing a consistent bedtime routine is crucial. When children don’t get enough rest, it can impact their physical development, emotional regulation and behavior.” According to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , newborns require 14-17 hours of sleep daily.
Infants require 12-16 hours of sleep, toddlers require 11-14 hours, and preschoolers need 10-13 hours. Children, howe.
