Taking care of children is one of the most challenging aspects for parents, especially infants and young children who have trouble sleeping and feeding. Due to a lack of fixed time for children to drink milk and sleep, parents are not able to adjust to their children's daily routines. It is often seen that in the first few months, small children sleep during the day, then stay awake and cry for a long time at night, or suddenly wake up and cry after sleeping for a while. In such a situation, the pediatrician in Thane suggests parents can help in establishing a healthy routine for their children by understanding their children's feeding and sleeping patterns and gradually making changes accordingly. However, these problems may reduce or change as children grow. Yet establishing a healthy bedtime routine for children is important for their overall well-being and development. A regular bedtime routine can help children get the sleep they need, which is essential for their physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Here are some of the key components of establishing and maintaining a healthy sleep routine for children as suggested by our child specialists in the best pediatric hospital treatment in Thane.
Quality sleep for any child is extremely important for their overall health, development and well-being. During deep sleep, the body releases growth hormone, which is important for physical growth and development in children. According to pediatrician in Thane, it is important for parents to prioritize and promote healthy sleep habits in their children as per their age. These include establishing consistent sleep routines, understanding circadian rhythms and sleep cycles, designing consistent sleep routines, creating a comfortable sleep environment, limiting screen time before bed, and nutrition and hydration for sleep quality. It has phenomenal effects on the physical growth and cognitive development of children as well as strengthening the immune system, focus and concentration.
Circadian rhythms and sleep cycles are fundamental biological processes that regulate mental and physical changes in our bodies.
This reflects the sleep-wake patterns that occur in the human body over a 24-hour period and its effects. Understanding these rhythms is essential to maintaining healthy sleep and overall well-being.
circadian rhythm
Circadian Rhythm works around the clock in response to the environment, light, and darkness, which trigger the feeling of being awake, asleep, or hungry. This process sends signals to different parts of the body to control hormone levels and regulate activities such as metabolism. This helps us align various bodily functions with the day-night cycle.
Disruption of the circadian rhythm can lead to a variety of health problems, including sleep cycles, blood sugar, and cholesterol.
Environmental factors along with imbalances in the biological processes of the brain affect the circadian rhythm. Along with lifestyle changes like walking out in bright light, consuming caffeine late at night, sleeping during the day, and drinking or eating alcohol late at night.
According to our pediatrician in Thane, children require more sleep than adults, which gradually reduces as they grow up. However, depending on genetics or other factors, sleep needs can vary from person to person. The sleep cycle is the natural progression of sleep stages that a person goes through during a normal night's sleep. These cycles are characterized by different brain wave patterns and physiological changes. This cycle is repeated several times during the night, with each cycle lasting about 90 minutes. As the night progresses, the proportion of REM sleep increases, while the deep NREM stage decreases. Therefore, we believe that understanding circadian rhythms and sleep cycles is essential to optimize sleep quality and manage sleep-related issues. Because circadian rhythms and sleep cycles are interconnected, and ideally help you feel refreshed and rested every 24 hours.
Creating a regular bedtime routine is essential to ensure children get a good night's sleep and promote overall well-being. In many cases, most children struggle to get a restful night's sleep due to various factors. Our pediatrician in thane suggests parents should encourage children to sleep on a regular schedule and choose a time that allows the recommended amount of sleep for their age group. Also, make sure their bedtime stays the same every night, even on weekends. This will help in controlling the internal clock of their body. However, parents can take the help of these effective methods to improve sleep quality in their children and enhance overall well-being, Such as creating a comfortable sleep environment, limiting screen time before bed, and doing relaxation techniques and wind-down activities.
Make sure the bedroom is conducive to sleep. It plays an important role in determining the quality of a child's sleep. The bedroom should be dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature. Also choose bedding materials that meet your baby's preferences such as breathable, lightweight sheets, a comfortable and age-appropriate mattress and blanket.
Limiting screen time before bed is essential to promoting better sleep and overall sleep quality in children. Pediatricians suggest that blue light emitted from screens like smartphones, tablets, computers, and TVs can interfere with the body's natural sleep-wake cycle, so make sure to make kids' bedrooms screen-free. Also, parents should make children aware of the impact of screens on sleep quality and overall health. Thus reducing screen time before bed can lead to better sleep habits for everyone in the house, including kids.
The energy that a child gets from milk and food is best used when they sleep or rest. When the baby sleeps, proteins that boost the immune system along with growth hormones are released, so a good night's sleep is important for boosting the immune system as well as the growth and all-round development of the children. The best pediatrician in Thane believes that incorporating relaxation techniques and wind-down activities can be a great way to help babies sleep better. It's important to establish a wind-down period before your baby goes to sleep. About 30-60 minutes before bedtime, start a calming routine to cue your child to sleep like this:
This can be a great opportunity to connect and relax. And then gently transfer the child to their bed. And make sure the environment is conducive and comfortable for them to sleep. However, each child is unique, so parents may need to customize the wind-down routine to suit their preferences and needs.
In many cases, it is seen that some children avoid sleeping alone or in the dark due to intense fear or show symptoms like waking up scared while sleeping. Addressing night-time terrors and sleep disruptions, particularly in these children, is important to maintain a healthy sleep routine and promote overall well-being. According to the best pediatrician in Thane, parents can make some special efforts to deal with such situations, these include
However, it may take time and patience to overcome night terrors and sleep disturbances in children. If nighttime fears and sleep disturbances persist, consider consulting a pediatrician or child psychologist for further guidance and support.
Nutrition and hydration play an important role in sleep quality in children. What children usually eat and drink can have a direct impact on the duration and quality of their sleep. best pediatrician in Thane explains that different types of nutrients address different processes in our body, thereby helping in optimizing hormonal processes. If we talk about the role of nutrition and hydration in the quality of sleep in children, then nutrition and hydration help in their all-round development and ensure good sleep. Examples: Children not getting proper nutrition at the right time can affect their circadian rhythm, causing disrupted sleep cycles. Maintaining melatonin hormone levels is vital for balancing circadian rhythms and sleep cycles. Melatonin hormone is essential for better sleep. This hormone is released from the pineal gland, bone marrow, ovaries, and eyes. It helps in maintaining the process of sleeping and waking up. To balance melatonin, nutrients like calcium, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids etc. are required, which can be fulfilled by nutrition and hydration. So, establishing healthy eating and drinking habits for your baby, as well as paying attention to how your baby's body reacts to different foods and beverages, can contribute to better sleep and overall sleep hygiene.
Understand the importance of childhood nutrition with our latest blog post: Childhood Nutrition: Feeding Growing Bodies and Minds
According to the best baby hospital in Thane, monitoring and adjusting babies' bedtime habits is important to ensure that they get adequate and quality sleep as they grow and develop. Reading a bedtime story, brushing teeth, and gentle calming activities can be included in their routine to monitor and adjust sleep habits over time. It may be important to keep track of the pediatrician's recommended sleep duration as per age and adjust the sleep time accordingly. Additionally, attention to sleep patterns, assessment of stress and anxiety, and physical activity may be included.
Establishing a healthy bedtime routine for children is important for their physical, emotional and cognitive development. A well-structured bedtime routine not only ensures that children get adequate amount of sleep but also contributes to their overall well-being. It may be important to keep track of pediatrician recommended sleep duration as per age and adjust the sleep time accordingly. Additionally, attention to sleep patterns, assessment of stress and anxiety, and physical activity may be included. Incorporating these practices into your child's daily life can lead to improved sleep quality, better behavior, and increased overall well-being. Although these routines may take some time to become habits, the long-term benefits for your child's health and development make the effort worthwhile. Remember that every baby is unique, so be flexible and customize your sleep routine to meet your baby's individual needs and preferences. If your child experiences persistent sleep problems, our specialized team of best pediatricians in Thane at Hiranandani Hospital, child-friendly facilities and compassionate approach ensure the best health care experience for your little ones.
Hiranandani Hospital is one of https://thane.hiranandanihospital.org/speciality/best-paediatrician-in-thane. Our team of highly skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals are dedicated to providing the best possible care to children, with state-of-the-art facilities and a child-centric approach, we prioritize the health and well-being of your little ones. Our wide range of services, family-friendly environment and commitment to excellence make us the top choice for pediatric care in Thane. Trust us to provide specialized health care of the highest standard for your child's specific needs.
