The Brain and Sleep
The brain uses sleep as an opportunity to complete numerous critical tasks for our development: memories get transferred into long-term “storage,” our thoughts from the day get arranged and rearranged, and we continue to build strong neural pathways. Too little sleep can trigger emotional regulation challenges during the school day, behavioral outbursts, attention difficulties, challenges with auditory and language processing, and decreased critical thinking abilities.CW therapist Hanna Bogen is working with students on ways to support their bodies and brains at home. Here are a few of her tips for children with challenges around sleep:
Create a consistent bedtime routine for your child that allows for plenty of rest. Do you allow evening “screen time”? Make sure to end it 30–60 minutes before bedtime so the brain can begin to unwind and return to a calm, ready-to-sleep state.
Use a gratitude journal. Each night before bed, your child can write down one to two things from their day for which they are grateful. Identifying and remembering positive experiences from the day can prepare the brain for sleep.
For children who are light sleepers or have trouble falling asleep, add white noise into their sleeping environment. Giving the brain a consistent, calming noise to focus on allows your child to “turn off his brain” when it’s time for bed.
How much sleep does your child need? According to the National Sleep Foundation, the following list provides the hours of sleep needed for a full night’s rest and brain recharge:
Birth to two months: 12–18 hours
Three to 11 months: 14–15 hours
One to three years old: 12–14 hours
Three to five years old: 11–13 hours
Five to 10 years old: 10–11 hours
10 to 17 years old: 8.5–9.5 hours
18 years old & up: 7–9 hours