Children Need Their Sleep!
Sleep Basics
Adequate, restorative sleep is the primary activity of the brain during early development. Circadian rhythms, or the sleep-wake cycle, are regulated by light and dark. These rhythms take time to develop, so sleep schedules of newborns are irregular.
Sleep is especially important for children as it directly impacts mental and physical development. By three to six months most infants have a regular sleep-wake cycle. By the age of two, most children have spent more time asleep than awake.
Roughly 40% of childhood is spent asleep.
There are two alternating types or states of sleep:
1. Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) or "quiet" sleep
During the deep states of NREM sleep, blood supply to the muscles is increased, energy is restored, tissue growth and repair occur. Important growth and development hormones are released.
2. Rapid Eye Movement(REM) or "active" sleep
During REM sleep, our brains are active and dreaming occurs. Our bodies become immobile, breathing and heart rates are irregular.
