A Few Things to Learn about Your Kids Sleeping Needs

Among the few things that humans of all race, gender or age share, nothing is more vital than sleep. Even though it has been studied for thousand years, and more in depth in the last century, it still remains something mysterious that we still have much to learn about.

We know for a fact though that kid’s sleeping needs and habits are slightly different from adults. Let’s look at a few interesting things about it below.

Did You Know Night terrors and Sleepwalking Are Somewhat Related?

Both belong to a category of sleeping disorders called parasomnias, which implicate abnormal behaviors, movements, perceptions and dreams that can happen at any time during or between sleeping phases. Bedwetting and teeth grinding, for example, are also part of that category.

Night terrors and nightmares are two different things. We still have much to learn about both, but we know for sure that night terrors mostly happen early in the night, having your child often waking up with a loud scream in a state of terror. Usually there is no recollection of the episode when the sun rises, unlike nightmares.

Same goes for sleepwalking, also occurring in the first third of the night, and of which the sleepwalker will have no recollection in the morning. Not as distressful as night terrors, these events both happen in a consciousness state in which it is harder to recall events. Most children outgrow both when they reach their teens.

Are Teenagers Lazy?

When they get there, their bodies change again. Chances are it is almost next to impossible for you to have them get up and ready for school in the morning, no matter if they sleep in bunk beds or loft beds. Their body clock change during that period, especially for boys, who tend to become “evening types”. Puberty often triggers a phenomenon called “delayed sleep phase disorder” that causes a 2-3 hours delay of the circadian cycles, which in turn delays the sleep-wake timing. On top of it, while average adults need 7-8 hours of sleep every night, teenagers need 9 to 10. Making sure to choose the best youth bedroom furniture for them will ensure they get the most of that needed rest.

What Happens to Sleep Deprived Children at School?

This might bring you to ask yourself the question: “Is my kid getting enough sleep?” While adults are not as active and get drowsy when sleep deprived, children will do the opposite. They’ll overcompensate with an impulsive behavior, won’t be as attentive and will show hyper-activity signs. In 2011, the American Journal of Family Therapy made a study that revealed that children having a regular bedtime pattern are 8 times less susceptible to have ADHD-like manners. Thus, a lot of sleep-lacking kids are misdiagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyper-activity disorder), while simply switching to more regular sleep habits might do them more good than meds.

Under the light of these facts, you might be concerned that your kids’ furniture and mattress is of good quality so your offspring gets a restful night. Visit your nearest Bolton Furniture dealer to see our collections!