How much sleep do we really need for our and children’s health?
Parents often debate among each other how long their children sleep and when they should go to bed. However, they rarely talk about why sleep is so important not only for children, but also their parents, and that regular bedtime is as important as the amount of sleep.
Parents often debate among each other how long their children sleep and when they should go to bed. However, they rarely talk about why sleep is so important not only for children, but also their parents, and that regular bedtime is as important as the amount of sleep.
Night sleep cannot be compensated. Biologically speaking, our body is “programmed” to find going to sleep two hours after dark ideal. Naturally, this is sometimes not practical, especially in the winter months, when the sun sets very early, but doctors advise that it is very important that adults go to bed around 10 p.m., and children around 8 p.m.
Why?
Night is a natural stimulant for the secretion of various hormones that are beneficial for our mental and physical health. This primarily means the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that acts as the strongest antioxidant in the body and immunity booster. Experts say that the gland in the brain starts to secrete melatonin in the evening under the influence of the circadian rhythm, i.e. nigh-and-day cycle. Melatonin lowers the level of cortisol, stress hormone, calms down the body and prepares it for a rest, i.e. sleep. There is no good sleep without melatonin. Going to bed after midnight and travelling to different time zones significantly affects serotonin levels in blood.
It is important for cortisol (stress hormone) level to fall so that we can get a good rest and prepare for sleep. Naturally, in healthy people, cortisol level falls drastically after 8 p.m., enabling melatonin to promote sleep. This means that all activities should end after 8 p.m. to enable cortisol to drop and melatonin to begin its antioxidative action.
Along with melatonin and cortisol, the growth hormone, which is secreted between 11 p.m. and after midnight, is also important for sleep. In children, it has a pronounced effect on the growth of the body, while in adults it maintains skin elasticity and muscle mass, along with a strong impact on self-confidence and willpower. Experts say that that particular hormone bestows leadership characteristics and enables the body to regenerate.
Therefore, if you are planning to stay awake for longer this evening, think twice! Apart from forgoing the action of those important hormones, you risk a hormonal disorder, particularly that of insulin, which is directly responsible for the glucose level in blood and sensation of hunger. People who do not sleep at night or go to bed late are at a greater risk of diabetes and obesity.
What is the situation with children and teenagers?
Children need much more sleep than adults: as a rule, children up to two years of age should sleep 13 hours a day – 10-11 hours at night and 1-3 hours during the day. Children aged 3-6 should sleep 10-13 hours a day, with the daily rest periods getting gradually shorter every year. Pre-school children no longer need to sleep during the day, but should continue to sleep 10-11 hours at night. The number of hours of sleep drops gradually, but ensure all the same that your teenagers go to bed on time and that they do not switch their days and nights.
The recommended time to go to bed is two hours after dark, and wake-up time is within two hours from the dawn, which tells us that we need to adjust our sleep patterns to the season and respect the day-and-night cycle. If a bad mattress causes you to sleep poorly, we can help you with that. Feel free to peruse our mattress range on this link.
