Understanding Childhood Sleep Deprivation

Many children experience sleep difficulties. Some young children may battle issues like night terrors and bedtime fears, while others have difficulty falling asleep at bedtime. Bedtime habits could be impacting a child’s sleep, or the child could have an underlying medical condition. Regardless of the exact cause, insufficient sleep can have significant impacts on a child’s development, long-term health and family or social functioning.

Why Is Sleep Important for Children?

Sleep is as important for children as it is for adults. Getting the right amount of sleep is critical for kids to function at their best.

Children and teens need varying amounts of sleep. Infants need 12 to 16 hours, including naps, and toddlers need 11 to 14 hours, including naps. Children from 3 to 5 need 10 to 13 hours of sleep, including naps. From age 6 to 12, children need 9 to 12 hours of sleep, and teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep.

Hitting these markers is essential for development and promoting long-term well-being. Childhood sleep deprivation can impact:

• Mood: Inadequate sleep can significantly impact a child’s emotions and overall mood. Many children have trouble managing their emotions without enough sleep and will experience irritability and mood swings. These feelings can make it challenging for children to interact in social settings and increase anxiety.
• Behavior: Increased irritability and impulsivity from lack of sleep can also cause behavioral issues. Young children may seem disobedient or overactive, while teens may become more likely to engage in risky behaviors.
• Cognitive abilities: Like with adults, a lack of sleep can impact a child’s cognitive abilities. Inadequate sleep can decrease attention, problem-solving, memory, decision-making skills and concentration. These challenges can have severe consequences across age groups. For young children, decreased cognitive abilities could impact their willingness to explore and engage in activities crucial for their development. School-aged children may struggle academically, and teens may become more willing to participate in unsafe activities due to the impact on decision-making skills.
• Physical health: Studies have found a link between insufficient sleep and obesity, diabetes development and long-term heart problems. Sleep deprivation also hinders a child’s immune system, making them less able to fight infections and increasing the production of cells that cause inflammation. Children will become more likely to catch bacterial infections or colds and have a harder time getting rid of their allergies.
• Family functioning: Poor sleep in a child can also indirectly impact family functioning. Many parents become cranky when their child does, which can increase household arguments. Long-term exposure to high emotional temperatures can make home life uncomfortable for everyone and hinder familial relationships.

The Impact of Inconsistent Sleep Schedules

The causes and impacts of different sleep disorders, bedtime habits and mental health issues can vary greatly. Common reasons for inconsistent sleep schedules include:

Insomnia

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that makes it hard for someone to fall or stay asleep. In some cases, insomnia will resolve on its own. However, if your child is having difficulty sleeping several times a week for a prolonged period, other problems may arise. Insomnia stems from daytime habits for many children.

For example, watching television before bed or eating too much sugar can disrupt a child’s sleep. However, insomnia can also result from increased stress levels, medication side effects or other medical concerns, like sleep apnea.

Sleep Anxiety

If your toddler won’t stay in bed, they may be facing a form of sleep anxiety. Many children experience a fear of the dark at some point. Many young kids have active imaginations, making it challenging to separate what’s real from what’s not.

The idea of monsters under the bed or something hiding in the closet feels very real to children, and it’s important to respond appropriately. Ridiculing or dismissing a child’s concerns for these fears can have a negative impact. Instead, help them work through these fears during the day. Explain how their imagination can trick them into mistaking normal things for something scary.

Nightmares

When the fear of the dark progresses, it’s common for children to experience nightmares. Nightmares are most prevalent among 5- to 8-year-olds, but kids of varying ages have nightmares every once in a while. This early school-age group is more susceptible to nightmares because they often become more aware of real-life challenges and perils, like violence, car accidents or death.

In some cases, nightmares can stem from scary movies or stories, or feeling stressed or anxious during the day. Big changes like a divorce, changes in child care, starting school or experiencing a death in the family can increase the likelihood of nightmares.

Night Terrors

Night terrors are heightened nightmares that result in episodes of flailing, intense fear or screaming while a child is asleep. These episodes often stem from lack of sleep, stress, changes in environment or side effects from a new medication. While these episodes can be frightening for parents, most children will not remember the event the following morning and often outgrow these episodes once they reach their teenage years.

Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking can involve sitting up in bed, making repetitive movements, talking and getting out of bed. During sleepwalking episodes, a child is still asleep, despite their eyes being open. The eyes will often have a glassy appearance, and the child’s behavior may seem odd. Typically, children are unaware of their behavior as it occurs and don’t remember the event the next morning.

Factors like stress, illness, certain medications and irregular sleep schedules can cause sleepwalking. Generally, creating positive bedtime routines and sticking to a consistent schedule can resolve sleepwalking concerns. However, it’s important to see a doctor if your child is experiencing regular episodes or engaging in risky behavior when sleepwalking.

Bed-Wetting

Many children face challenges with bladder control at night. Recognizing the importance of sleep for preschoolers is especially crucial as 2- to 4-year-olds are most likely to experience bed-wetting. This problem can continue with school-aged children in some cases.

Typically, bed-wetting results from a child’s bladder being underdeveloped and unable to hold urine for an entire night. A child may also produce too much urine during nighttime or be a deep sleeper to the point that bladder pressure does not wake them. In some cases, minor illnesses, changes at home and stress can cause bed-wetting.

Child Sleep Deprivation Symptoms

Many factors can contribute to sleep deprivation, such as existing health problems, mental health issues and poor sleep hygiene. While different habits or disorders can show through different symptoms, there are some common indicators of sleep deprivation. Children’s Hospital Colorado reports the following as signs of insufficient sleep:

• Poor mood regulation and seeming cranky, overemotional or irritable
• Low energy levels
• Daytime fatigue
• Impulsiveness and hyperactivity in younger children
• Taking naps after the appropriate napping age
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Decreased social skills
• Problems paying attention
• Falling asleep during short car rides or at school
• Difficulty getting out of bed in the morning

Seek Counseling and Therapy From Courageous Kids Counseling

At Courageous Kids Counseling, we work closely with children to help them navigate new situations with confidence and learn what works best for reaching positive results. If your child is having difficulties with sleep, consider starting child therapy to help them feel rested and happy again. Request a free consultation to start your journey toward a collaborative and supportive path for your child’s growth.