When we talk about insomnia, the image of an adult person dominated by tiredness, bad mood and dark circles immediately comes to mind. But the truth is that children also suffer from sleep disorders that include insomnia and parasomnias, the consequences of which can jeopardize their educational development and health. That is why it is essential to be very attentive and prevent insomnia in children.
Insomnia in children
- There are many children who cannot sleep well. Some do not want to go to bed, others find it difficult to fall asleep and others wake up in the middle of the night as a result of one of the so-called parasomnias, nightmares, night terrors or sleepwalking. It is precisely the fear of having a bad night that makes the child go to bed more nervous and repeat the episodes of the night before.
- The consequences of insomnia in children become evident in the short and long term. Sleep problems can slow down your learning, completely transform your mood, and cause a host of health problems. In general terms, a school-age child should sleep 10 hours, but sleep well, with an optimal quality of sleep that allows them to get up with energy and perform throughout the day.
How to avoid insomnia in children
- Many parents wonder why their children do not sleep well, while sleep specialists ask these parents if they have been taught to sleep, if starting with themselves, they take sleep hygiene seriously. And it is that we see more and more children’s bedrooms with a television, with the computer turned on the desk and with the mobile phone on the table.
- But it is not enough to keep all those enemies of sleep away from children, it is also necessary to make them aware of the importance of sleeping well. Reducing activity throughout the day to enter the bedroom relaxed is something that should be done as a family. It is useless to tell the child that he should relax if he sees his parents upset, nervous, in a bad mood and unable to disconnect.
- Parents are the first to be aware of the need to acquire a sleeping routine or sleeping habits that guarantee rest as children. In any case, for all those sleep problems that are related to anxiety or some other emotional disorder, you should see a specialist.
