: how to improve the sleep of the baby. Eva Farber, 3-year-old parenting and childcare consultant, dealt with "baby sleep" at the Neufeld Institute's traditional online festival.

Eva talked about 7 sleep myths in babies and shared natural solutions, thanks to which your child will be able to fall asleep faster and sleep better, and you will remain a support for him not only during the daytime, but also at night.

If you're a parent or professional looking for support, inspiration, fresh ideas, and expert advice about baby sleep, you can read our resource on how to improve baby sleep and find all the answers.

7 myths about baby sleep

We present to your attention 7 ridiculous myths associated with children's sleep.

Baby needs to be taught to sleep

Of course, this is not so, children are perfectly able to sleep on their own. Even in the womb, babies sleep 90% of the time. They get used to this routine and eventually sleep peacefully. It is necessary to make it clear to the child that there is nothing terrible in a dream, he will wake up, after sleep the morning will come and he will see his relatives again.

Some babies sleep through the night for a week or two after birth. But most, at first, sleep more during the day and less at night.

Children should be taught to fall asleep immediately

We are afraid to harm our baby physically or emotionally when we sleep together, but in fact, we often think about ourselves. Mothers do not want to be involved in children even at night, it is more convenient when he lies in a crib and you can relax calmly, sleep in any position.

If we forcibly put a child alone, it will emotionally hurt him, alienate him and may cause trauma of "uselessness". But it is worth saying that there is an increased risk of suffocation and falling from an adult bed. If you are a frequent breastfeeder and want your baby to be by your side, you can choose a bedside crib.

You should not accustom the child to the parental bed, otherwise he will not wean

This is a big mistake, the baby needs maternal care and warmth at a basic level.

These are evolutionarily conditioned feelings; without tactile contact, the child does not feel that he is protected, that he is safe.

The stomach must rest at night, GW interferes with the quality of sleep

GW, on the contrary, strengthens the baby's nervous system, soothes feeding, and sleep improves. If you do not feed the child at night, serious problems with his gastrointestinal tract and sudden weight loss may begin.

In the first couple of weeks at birth, babies typically lose 10% of their body weight, so they should be fed at night. In addition, if they sleep more during the day than at night, you can wake them up so that the break without food is no more than 4 hours.

The child must sleep through the night without waking up

There will be no continuous sleep for 10-12 hours, but the child can sleep peacefully for 5 hours. It is normal that the baby's sleep is intermittent, as nature intended, until 4-6 months the baby's sleep is free.

Attachment to the breast acts like a sleeping pill for the baby, he needs to make sure that his mother is nearby and calm down. So the child checks if he is safe, awakening occurs for the purpose of contact.

Baby needs routine

It is difficult to impose a regime on a small child, except for resistance, this will not work. It is enough to know the approximate amount of sleep that your baby needs, this comes with experience.

Watch his behavior and needs, try to have at least some kind of schedule, but all actions should not be scheduled to the minute.

The child does not need a routine

There should be no extremes, everyone is individual. Children need to understand the rhythms when it's day and when it's already night.

It is necessary to focus on the nature of the baby’s sleep and help him sleep when it’s time. Ideal when the child goes to bed at the same time.

How to improve baby sleep

There are many factors that affect the quality of your baby's sleep, so that your baby sleeps soundly, you need to follow a certain plan.

Sleep conditions - Of great importance for the calmness of the baby are the sleeping conditions in which he sleeps. Certain external factors create favorable and comfortable conditions for the sleep of a newborn. Here are the points to be followed:

• where your child sleeps (with you or in a separate room)
• lighting (dark or light)
• temperature (comfortable or cool)
• sounds (a pleasant melody can play in the baby's room, which soothes and lulls)

Sleep habits - It will be easier for you to lull your baby if he develops certain sleep habits that will give him signals that it is time to go to bed. Here are some habits to develop:

• familiar blanket
• soft pillow
• certain posture
• touch mom's hair
• feeding
• humming
• stroking

Going to sleep - To put your baby to bed, follow the daily rituals, the sequence of actions before going to bed, which will help the baby calm down and tune in to rest. These actions will make it possible to throw out the rest of the energy. Here's what you can do before putting your baby to bed:

• baby bathing
• wiping baby
• swaddling
• rocking
• fewer games before bed and new experiences
• routine and tranquility

Also, it is necessary to feed and drink the baby before going to bed, pay attention to the baby’s fatigue, hug and vilify in your arms before going to bed.

Up to 3 months, the baby sleeps as much as 16 hours a day. But not all at once. Newborns usually sleep 1 to 2 hours at a time. By 6 months, many babies are sleeping 6 hours a night.

Use these tips to help your little one sleep through the night:

• When the baby fusses at night, wait a minute or two and you will see that the baby will calm down and fall asleep again.
• Be careful during night feedings or diaper changes. Try not to wake her up too much.
• Be active and play during the day so your baby doesn't oversleep. This can gradually help the child sleep more at night.

Why can't a child fall asleep?

The baby has many reasons that do not allow him to relax and fall asleep peacefully. Here are the main ones:

• Incorrect daily routine and number of hours of sleep
• Violation of the usual schedule, for example, during the holidays
• Negative associations for sleep, the child may remember that he will soon be left alone, since his mother will put him to bed and leave on business
• Abrupt change in pre-sleep activities, activities, games, fun
• Incorrect sleep atmosphere: loud music, bright lights, noises, people talking
• Late bedtime at night, when the dream has already passed and the child is again cheerful
• Health problems: colic, teething, allergies
• Lack of attention and care, the child may not have enough time spent with parents, he may be bored and not want to fall asleep
• Early relocation to a large bed, the baby may not be ready, the best age for such castling will be 2.5-3 years, but not earlier.

Also, there may be psychological fears that will keep the baby in suspense and prevent him from falling asleep.

1. Fear of separation from mother is often the main obstacle to easy falling asleep and quality sleep. Often a mother falls asleep with a child at lunchtime, and then leaves. He may wake up and be frightened, start to worry. If this situation is repeated, the conditioned reflex and reaction is fixed. The child is afraid of being left alone.
2. Anxiety is activated in the evening - the child becomes more excited and frightened. These conditions can lead to: enuresis, bruxism, muscle spasms, nightmares and walking.

Now you know 7 myths about baby sleep and how to help your baby fall asleep.

About norms

Often, parents complain to the doctor that children often wake up or sleep restlessly, they can toss and turn, which does not allow parents to fully relax. However, parents often believe that the child should sleep just like an adult, lay down in the evening and slept peacefully until the morning, although for children this is not at all considered the norm, and intermittent sleep is quite normal. In order to completely dispel the myths and doubts about a child’s sleep, it is necessary to determine what is considered normal sleep for children in different ages.

In the first months of life, babies sleep a lot, but their sleep is intermittent, until about one and a half to two years old, babies can often wake up at night. At the same time, everyone believes that frequent nighttime waking is typical mainly for children who are breastfeeding, although this is completely false, mothers of formula-fed children wake up as often as mothers of infants. This is quite understandable from the point of view of age physiology, sleep in children should not be long and it is quite normal for a child to wake up often. In his mother's stomach, he did not distinguish between day and night, and he did not have a change in the phases of sleep and wakefulness according to the changes of day to night. The child simply sequentially alternates between sleep and wakefulness as he gets tired and needs rest.

Until three or four months old, babies will sleep most of their time in the day, mostly they wake up to eat and talk a little with their parents, or if something is bothering the baby. As the factors that interfere with well-being are saturated or eliminated, the baby falls asleep again blissfully. On average, babies sleep for 1-3 hours, slightly lengthening at night and amounting to about three to four hours of uninterrupted sleep. On average, during the day, dreams can be from 40 minutes to two hours, which many parents perceive as a pathology or a sign of illness. However, this is absolutely not the case; for the health of the baby, just such a rhythm of dreams is necessary.

A child's sleep can be divided into certain phases, which will sequentially replace each other during periods of sleep. Periods can be distinguished - the stage of falling asleep, then fast (superficial) sleep, and then slow (deep) sleep. In duration, each of the phases can last up to half an hour, as they age, they reach two hours for each period. At the same time, a predominantly superficial sleep is typical for children, and deep sleep is very short in time. In the first months of life, superficial sleep reaches 60-80% of the time, and by the age of six months it approaches 50% of the total sleep time, by the age of three years, superficial sleep reaches 30% of this amount of sleep, in older children and adults, superficial sleep lasts only 20% of the entire sleep phase. This is why babies sleep differently from adults.

So, the child’s sleep begins with a superficial sleep phase, and the child’s eyes are closed, but the eyelids tremble and you can see the movements of the eyeballs, while breathing is irregular, there may be smiles and twitches. At the same time, babies can dream during this period. And in this period of dreams, the formation and maturation of nervous system and brain structures. The brain of a toddler in this period of sleep assimilates and analyzes the amount of information received during wakefulness, and its skills are still being formed. During this period, if something goes wrong with the baby, he can easily wake up. But after 15-20 minutes, the babies undergo phase changes from superficial to deep, breathing becomes less frequent, it is deeper and more measured, the heart rate drops, and the eyeballs no longer move, there are no shudders, the muscles relax, the baby sweats and the fists relax. During deep sleep, the baby is difficult to wake up.

Now, knowing such features of babies' sleep, it becomes clear that when putting the child to sleep, it is necessary to wait for the transition of the superficial sleep period to deep sleep, and only after that you can put it to sleep in the crib. If you hurry, the baby will wake up in a superficial sleep and then it will be very difficult to put him down again.

What could be the problem?

Sometimes a child's sleep can be disturbed and there can be many reasons for this. Moreover, most of these causes will not require medical interventions and any medications. At the same time, doctors, especially neurologists, can distinguish four main groups of reasons that lead to poor sleep in children:

1. physiological characteristics of the baby and the natural causes of sleep disorders,
2. emotional overload in children,
3. problems in the health of the child, diseases of children,
4. emotional overload of children,
5. neurological pathologies.

To physiological features children's sleep, we talked a little above when we analyzed sleep issues, since a child's sleep is subject to certain rhythms, which must be taken into account in drawing up a daily routine.

Often, parents may complain that up to six months or a little more, the children slept well, and then they were replaced. Children begin to toss and turn, wake up or even get on all fours, crawl along the crib right in their sleep. It is necessary to immediately reassure the parents of the little one - this is quite normal, children from about six months receive a lot of emotions per day, master many skills - movements, control their own bodies or receive positive emotions.

All this bouquet of daytime emotions the nervous system begins to analyze in detail at night, during night dreams, while carefully working out and remembering the smallest details. That's why the little ones wake up at night, trying to crawl and get on all fours, they can laugh, whine or walk, without even waking up at all. If, with such a night's sleep during the day, the child is cheerful and cheerful, he eats normally and does not show signs of illness, then he has enough sleep, nothing needs to be done. The child's body can perfectly control its functions and can regulate the time of sleep without your intervention.

Often, parents are worried about the shuddering of the child at night, but they do not at all indicate pathologies. Such startle processes occur due to the work of the nervous system during the nocturnal sleep phase and can be manifested by single or regularly repeated contractions of muscle groups in the limbs or body. Most often they appear in especially excitable children in the first year of life, or they arise after emotional upheavals - joys, insults or tantrums, and with age they usually decrease progressively.

Often, children show whims or sobs at night, and sometimes even crying babies. The reasons for these phenomena are similar - excessive emotions during the day or in the evening. You will most likely need to reconsider the daily routine for the child, and move active games or noisy fun in the first half of the day so that the nervous system is not overexcited before going to bed.

The child's sleep will greatly depend on the state of his health, if the babies are teething or have a tummy ache, then his sleep may become restless or intermittent, the baby will often cry or wake up. In addition, the child’s clothes will greatly affect sleep - if the elastic bands, seams or laces are tight, then the child will toss and turn in his sleep, whimper or wake up.

The child's sleep can be disturbed if the air in the children's room is too dry or too warm, then the mucous membranes in the nose dry out too much, it may be difficult to breathe, the baby may wake up because of this. In addition, the baby may suffer from heat, especially if mothers carefully cover him with a blanket, which can also reduce the quality of sleep for babies.

The most optimal temperature for sleeping is about 60% humidity and a temperature of about 18-20 degrees, but if it is impossible to maintain such a temperature in the room, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room before going to bed and use a humidifier.

Sleep disorders in children

In the question of defining sleep disorders, there are no unambiguous classifications today, but the most successful today is the division of sleep problems proposed by the Americans:

1. primary sleep disorder in which there is no related problems, sleep disturbances are formed without any obvious external causes or internal diseases.
2. secondary sleep disorder, in which disturbances can be a manifestation of any internal diseases or pathologies of the child - emotional stress, digestive diseases, allergies, infections or any other problems.

Often, problems arise due to the defeat of the disease of the nervous system, which regulates and coordinates the sleep process. Usually, violations are divided into short-term, which pass in a few days, and long-term, which can last months or even years.

Babies can often show behavioral insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, and an inability to maintain long enough sleep. This occurs in babies from three to four months, since in children at an earlier age, waking up is again quickly replaced by sleep after the elimination of disturbing factors.

Sleep disturbances are excitable and exciting children who simply cannot fall asleep without their mother's presence, or without certain rituals. Every day they need long processes of motion sickness, it is imperative that there is someone nearby. The main differences between sleep problems in children are the inability to fall asleep for a long time and without outside help, with the same number of awakenings as normal children. The most basic problems of such sleep are overwork of children, an excess of daytime emotions, violation of the organization of the day by parents.

Messed up day and night

Usually, the processes of formation of daytime and nighttime sleep are formed by about three to four months of life. However, the biological clock of the child plays an important role here - whether he is an owl or a lark. If you set the child to a mode that does not coincide with the child's biorhythm, sleep disturbances may form. Toddlers are simply unable to fall asleep at the time that their parents took them to sleep, and then it is difficult for them to wake up according to the allotted schedule, since it does not coincide with the baby’s internal clock. At the same time, the processes of daytime and nighttime sleep are disrupted, malfunctions occur inside the body and capriciousness is formed, appetite may be disturbed, and even immunity is reduced. long current this process can lead to problems. Which can then be eliminated only with the participation of a doctor, and strict adherence to a strict set rhythm by all family members will be required.

Therefore, when drawing up a daily routine, look first of all at the child, and not at books and other parents, the baby himself will quickly and accurately tell you the time when it is time for him to go to bed and get up.

What can be done to improve sleep?

First of all, you need to stop being nervous about the child’s sleep, thereby making him nervous, your tantrums and nervousness are transmitted to the child. First of all, analyze his diet and eliminate the factors. Interfering with normal sleep - puffy foods, and for older children, a more satisfying dinner so that he does not wake up from hunger.

Create sleep routines and ceremonies and repeat them day in and day out so your baby gets ready for sleep and develops sleep habits at the same time. Put children to bed at the first sign of fatigue. And not when they are already overexcited, and will not immediately fall asleep. Before school, the child’s schedule must necessarily include daytime sleep, then the baby will not overwork in the evening.

How can you improve your child's sleep?

A child is the most beautiful gift you have. You take care of him with all the warmth, but sometimes the baby still sleeps anxiously. In order to improve the sleep of your child, it is necessary to provide the regime and conditions for good rest to the subtleties. Perhaps try home remedies first.

Suppose you began to notice that your child cannot fall asleep for a long time, whimpers at night, is naughty a lot, you see an overabundance of emotions in him, sometimes too cheerful, sometimes very upset, and all this entails a violation of healthy sleep. This means that measures need to be taken now.

1. The first thing to balance your baby's mood is soothing herbs and natural oils.

However, it is worth paying attention so that the child does not have an allergy to one or another composition of aromatic oils or herbs. Otherwise, a good idea to help improve sleep will turn into chronic illness. First you need to inform your pediatrician about your intentions. He will give more reliable recommendations for the use of aroma oils. We do not recommend trusting pharmacists in a pharmacy, because they do not know the body of your baby. Do not take risks with the “fit-not-fit” method!

by the most the best option will be if you conduct a preliminary test for the child. Wet a napkin or piece of cotton wool with a drop of oil. Let the baby inhale it once. If there is no sneezing or tearing reaction, then try putting a drop on the child's hand. After 4-5 hours, no side effects, then try to conduct the first aroma session.

Remember that it is better to buy aromatic preparations in pharmacies, they will give a check here and you will check the expiration date. And the inscription on the package "GOST" will testify to the quality of the purchased product. Do not trust low prices in regular stores, otherwise you will end up with a bottle with impurities or synthetics. Natural oils are sold in small packages at medium to high prices.

One of the sedatives is tea tree oil. As a rule, it is rare for anyone to be allergic to it. This oil is often used by children during various inhalations and baths. Arriving at the pharmacy, you will definitely be able to pick up a universal component with which you can improve your baby's sleep.

It is important to know that there are some restrictions for all age categories: up to 1 year old peppermint oil is prohibited, up to 6 years old - thyme, geranium, tea tree and rosemary, up to 12 years old - cloves.

A drop of tangerine or orange oil is useful before bedtime. Mint or lemon balm relieve fatigue and promote sound sleep.

2. The second thing that children of small and middle age really like is massage.

Light strokes will relax the baby and plunge into a fabulous dream. It is also recommended during massage to drop a drop of oil into the cream with which you rub the child, or just one drop on the bed in the far corner of the crib. And after the massage procedures, ventilate the room.

3. Medicinal herbs

A suitable phytocomponent can always normalize the sleep of both children and adults. Again, we emphasize that it is necessary to consult a pediatrician and an allergist. Children under one year old herbal medicine is strictly prohibited. Herbs need to be used wisely, only then they will give an excellent result. Components must first of all be of high quality and environmentally friendly.

4. One of the important methods for improving your child's sleep is the elementary observance of the regimen and preparation for sleep!

1. Daily bedtime should be the same. In individual cases, with restless sleep, experts recommend putting children to bed half an hour earlier or later.
2. The child needs the same bed, and here he must wake up.
3. Be sure to stop all games an hour before bedtime, minimize emotional stress, do not start arguments with the child, try to avoid quarrels that lead to hysteria and excitement. This applies to all family members. It is better to go for a walk, or to tell in a calm tone interesting stories, or engage in reading, drawing, etc.
4. For some, a warm bath has a calming effect, while for others, on the contrary, it contributes to a cheerful state. So watch your little one and decide if this method is right for you.
5. Instead of bright light throughout the room, get a dim nightlight.
6. When the child is getting ready for bed, let dad turn down the TV. Eliminate all sorts of loud sounds.
7. Be sure to feed your baby before bed.
8. Sing a lullaby and read children's poems, let dad tell a fairy tale in a semi-tonal baritone.
9. Caress the baby during the lullaby, stroke gently on the head and back.
10. Alternate double naps with single ones, because the baby can sleep twice during the day and stay awake at night. Also on a single nap day, go to bed a little earlier in the evening.

5. About when and how to feed children correctly

1. Get yourself and your child the first rule - eating at any time exclusively in the kitchen! Never on the bed or in front of the TV in the bedroom.
2. If your baby is very small or a baby, then be sure to feed the baby tightly at night. Walk more in the evening so that before going to bed he really wants to eat.
3. The child should not be allowed to fall asleep without eating.
4. If you feed the baby at night, then in no case do not communicate with him, quietly fed him and then put him to sleep.
5. It is important to know and you can try, according to the recommendations of doctors, to gradually reduce night feeding after 4-5 months, and after 6-7 - slowly switch to 5-8 hours of sleep.
6. When you feed a child during the daytime, then during meals you can and even need to tell something interesting, joke and sing with positive emotions.
7. Leave the habit of feeding the baby by the hour, as you want, and feed.

For a child, do everything in a good mood, and there will be a return, believe me!

6. Necessary conditions for healthy sleep

1. Install the crib, first of all, away from noise, drafts, computers and TVs. In this place there should be no disputes, tantrums and quarrels!
2. Cleanliness and order in the room where your baby and his place to sleep.
3. Keep your child comfortable! The blanket should provide thermal comfort, the mattress should be hard, and the pillow should be low.
4. Do not teach your child to walk in a place to sleep!
5. The room in which the child rests must always be ventilated, the air is only fresh, and the temperature is not more than 20 ° C.
6. Keep an eye on the humidity in the room, if it falls below 45%, install humidifiers!
7. Remember that the wrong clothes for him can disturb your baby's sleep. Stuffiness, tightness, cold and other factors of discomfort will not allow the child to sleep soundly.
8. Take mobile phones, laptops, TVs, radios out of the children's room. Waves of working electrical engineering are contraindicated for a child.

7. Is napping good for you?

1. Perhaps your baby sleeps restlessly at night because he oversleeps during the daytime. Try waking him up earlier than usual.
2. Develop the right approach to daytime rest. There is no need to remove all unnecessary sounds, let it be heard how the parents speak to each other in a semitone, let the radio play quietly, water pour. The child will fall asleep to a light noise, especially when he runs and is tired. Do not accustom to complete silence, otherwise do not take a step, he will hear and cry.
3. If you do not have recommendations from a doctor, do not wake the baby so that he eats. Wake up and let him know that it's time to start eating.

8. Should the baby sleep alone or with mom?

1. Competent doctors, discussing this issue, came to a common opinion: infant wants to sleep with mom, and this is absolutely normal.
2. However, there is a group of views that the baby should have his own separate bed. Experts are trying to determine whether there are more pluses or minuses in this problem.
3. Be sure to stop co-sleeping in time. The kid should feel independent.

9. Parental work on the wishes of the child

1. If your baby, under favorable conditions (the room is ventilated, all hygiene rules are observed in it, a favorite toy) suddenly woke up, you restrain yourself and wait a minute, a little less, a little more, quietly enter the room. It's even better if you just take a look. The main thing is that the baby understands that the mother is nearby, but not too close.
2. Do not look that this is a little man, he already feels everything and absorbs the slightest smells, movements, colors, he develops his own habits. That is why do not force him to sleep right away, convincingly explain as an adult that the baby is not alone, that he was not abandoned and did not go anywhere. After two or three decisive phrases, mother leaves the nursery.
3. When you hear a baby crying, do not run headlong, but quietly and confidently enter the baby. And increase the time before each subsequent entry by 2-3 minutes.
4. Increase the waiting time daily, but it should not exceed 15 minutes. As a result, you get that while you enter, the baby will calm down and fall asleep on its own.
5. When you enter the nursery, practice singing a lullaby softly or speaking calmly without coming close.
6. Most importantly, do not turn on bright lighting fixtures. The baby will definitely wake up.
7. Rock the baby's playpen.
8. If all else fails, only then lull in your arms, give a drink or a pacifier, feed (after 6 months it is undesirable at night).

10. Unnecessary habits to get rid of

1. Fall asleep in the arms of your parents.
2. Play (especially outdoor games) before bed.
3. If the child falls asleep only with a finger in his mouth when he eats, when he is motion sick, urgently wean yourself and him from these habits. Otherwise, you will never be able to go anywhere, and the habit of thumb sucking can remain up to 12-13 years!
4. Frequent awakenings at night to check if mom is around.

Remember, if your child does not respond to any of the above methods and folk remedies, then it is worth sounding the alarm and showing the baby to the doctor. Perhaps sleep disturbance is associated primarily with some kind of disease. Timely treatment and assistance will restore normal sleep without consequences.

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Childhood insomnia becomes a source of problems for all family members. A child experiencing a lack of sleep and rest is not able to fully develop. His nervous system is subjected to increased stress, the emotional background is disturbed, constant whims and sleepless nights do not allow him to relax at home. Most often, negative manifestations are the result of non-compliance with the baby’s daily routine, the development of certain bad habits in him. With the right approach, sleep disorders of this genesis in children can be quickly eliminated without serious consequences and without the help of doctors. In rare cases, insomnia becomes a manifestation of a congenital or acquired pathology, such as a brain disease.

With sleep disorders, the child is not able to fully develop.

Types and causes of sleep disorders

Neurologists and pediatricians identify at least a hundred scenarios for the development of insomnia in childhood. The basic classification of the state divides all these options into four main groups. Pathology is manifested by problems with falling asleep or waking up, failure of biorhythms, the occurrence of parasomnias (enuresis, nightmares, sleepwalking, and more).

AT separate group sleep apnea is a sudden stoppage of breathing.

Common causes of sleep disturbance in childhood:

• emotional outbursts - insomnia can provoke not only negative, but also positive emotions;
• hypersensitivity is not a pathology of the nervous system, but its feature, which must be taken into account when organizing the conditions for the stay of children;
• violation of the daily regimen or its absence - night sleep is an acquired, not an innate need, so it must be properly worked out;
• non-compliance with the rules of nutrition - overeating during dinner or going to bed with an empty stomach;
• physiological discomfort - cutting teeth, digestive problems, general inconvenience against the background of rapid growth;
• physical discomfort - sleep disturbance occurs against the background of heat, cold, increased dryness air, uncomfortable bedding or clothes for sleeping;
• neurological pathologies, somatic diseases.

You can't go to bed on an empty stomach.

Treatment of any sleep disorders in children begins with identifying and eliminating the cause of the problem. Traditional medicine techniques and physiotherapy methods act as aids. Medical products are used in the most extreme cases.

Manifestations of sleep disorders in children

Waking up at night is not the only sign of a sleep disorder in a child.

Depending on the severity of the problem and the specifics of the situation clinical picture may take on a different form.

Common symptoms of sleep disorders in childhood:

• night awakenings - in the period from 4 months to a year are considered the norm, most often occur against the background of parents' attempts to abandon prolonged lulling;
• fears are typical for sensitive and capricious boys under 6 years old. Awakening does not occur, the baby is half asleep, crying, can sit on the bed. It is impossible to wake him up, it is difficult to calm him down, in the morning he does not remember anything. The manifestation occurs against the background of overexcitation of the nervous system, usually disappears with age on its own;
• sleepwalking - walking and performing targeted actions with open eyes, but with the mind turned off;
• talking in a dream - usually these are single words or short illegible sentences that the sleeper in the morning cannot even connect with what he dreamed of;
• disturbing dreams and nightmares - unlike fears, after waking up, the patient can remember the content of dreams. If the phenomenon is repeated more than once a week, a psychotherapist's consultation is necessary, otherwise, out of fear of being scared, the child will have difficulty falling asleep;
• bruxism - teeth grinding is usually observed in adolescents, its causes have not been clarified;
• tremors - more often recorded in infants, indicate the instability of the mental sphere, disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system;
• enuresis - a problem of children from 6 to 12 years old, which may indicate mental retardation, problems in the functioning of the excretory organs, stress;
• apnea - with a rare occurrence, it is considered a variant of the norm, but most of the time the sleeper's breathing should be clean and measured. Frequent respiratory arrests require evaluation by a neurologist, ENT or pediatrician.

Sleep apnea can cause the problem.

All of these points reduce the quality of night sleep, and therefore pose a potential hazard to the health of children. Separately, there are a number of points that may indicate a high risk of the baby developing serious pathologies in the future.

What you need to pay special attention to

Minor sleep disturbances or rare problems with falling asleep occur in 90% of children. In most cases, it is enough to correct the regimen, relaxation sessions, and change the principles of nutrition. You should immediately consult a doctor if the clinical picture is aggravated by changes or a sharp change in the patient's mood, persists for more than 3 weeks, is supplemented by enuresis or apnea.

It is better to consult a doctor when the disturbances are in the form of nightmares, sleepwalking, talking in a dream. Such phenomena may indicate epilepsy, mental pathology, diseases of internal organs, brain damage. According to statistics, these people at a later age develop Alzheimer's disease more often than others.

Diagnosis and treatment

In situations where a visit to the doctor is indispensable, it is first recommended to go to the pediatrician. He will establish the cause of the baby's nighttime awakenings and other forms of sleep disturbance or refer him to a specialized doctor. In the case of a physiological origin of the problem, the necessary therapy is carried out. This may be taking mild sedatives, treating adenoids or deviated nasal septum, fighting helminthic invasions or gastrointestinal disorders. Often the basic approach is supplemented with vitamin therapy, physiotherapy sessions. Sometimes it becomes necessary to visit a child psychologist or psychotherapist.

Sleep disorders in childhood should not be ignored. If a problem has appeared, then by itself it will not disappear. Even with transient symptoms, a small patient needs help and a special approach.

“Sleeping like a baby” is a phrase that reflects our ideas about baby dream as something ideal, a role model. However, not all parents of young children will agree with this statement. Unfortunately, sleep disturbance is a fairly common occurrence due to serious reasons. A somnologist will help you deal with this problem.

Sleep is a complex physiological state characterized by relative rest, immobility, and a pronounced decrease in reactions to external stimuli. The main function of sleep is restorative. It plays an important role in the metabolic processes in the body. So, during slow sleep, growth hormone is released, the synthesis of cellular proteins increases. During sleep, immunity is restored by activating the protective immune cells of T-lymphocytes and producing immunoglobulins necessary to fight infections. During REM sleep, information is processed and short-term memory is transferred to long-term memory.

Sleep is a heterogeneous process and is a genetically determined state of the body, which is characterized by a successive change of phases - slow sleep (sleep without dreams) and fast sleep (paradoxical sleep or sleep with dreams). The main function of the non-REM sleep phase is restorative. Respiratory rate and heart rate decrease, muscles relax and eye movements slow down. As NREM sleep deepens total the sleeper's movements are reduced, it is difficult to wake him up at this time, and dreams upon awakening are not remembered. The main function of the REM sleep phase is the processing of information, the creation of a program of behavior for the future. With REM sleep, physiological functions, on the contrary, are activated, breathing, heart rate and movement become more frequent. The brain cells in this phase are extremely active, however, information from the sense organs does not come to them and is not fed to the muscles. This is the paradoxical nature of this state. movements eyeballs become fast - the sleeper sees dreams, if he is woken up after 10 minutes, he will talk about the dream.

The need for sleep in children is more important for the body than the need for food. The amount of sleep is the main component of the concept of "quality of life". Sleep in babies is very different from sleep in adults. Up to 6 months, it begins with the stage of active, REM sleep. The total sleep time is about the same day and night. As they grow older, night sleep gradually “consolidates”, the number of night awakenings decreases, daytime sleep becomes shorter, and by the age of 4 years, the need for daytime sleep disappears in most children. The daily duration of sleep for young children is on average 12 to 14 hours. By 18 months, most of them spontaneously establish their own sleep pattern, which includes a single afternoon nap of 1.5 to 3 hours.

The main feature of sleep disorders in children is the wealth of motor and autonomic phenomena, which can be divided into the following groups:

Stereotyped movements associated with sleep: rocking, beating, folding, the phenomenon of "shuttle", sucking fingers in a dream, masturbation in a dream, other stereotypical movements.

Paroxysmal phenomena in sleep: convulsions, night terrors, nocturnal enuresis, bruxism, nocturnal asthma, paroxysmal nocturnal nosebleeds, nocturnal vomiting, other sleep paroxysms.

Static sleep phenomena: strange postures, sleep with open eyes, sleep with open mouth.

Complex forms of mental activity in sleep: sleepwalking, sleep-talking, nightmares.

Switching disorders in the sleep-wake cycle in children: falling asleep disorders, awakening disorders, wakefulness disorders, inversion of sleep and wakefulness.

To date, there are more than 100 sleep disorders. In children, the most common are insomnias (disturbed sleep), parasomnias (night terrors, nightmares, sleepwalking, sleep-talking, enuresis) and sleep apnea (breathing stops).

Insomnia - insufficient or inadequate sleep, including difficulty falling asleep, restless sleep, frequent nocturnal awakenings, difficulty waking up, early awakening. The most common causes of insomnia in children are: psychophysiological factors (stress, change in routine); violation of circadian rhythms (syndrome jet lag); somatic, neurological and mental disorders(for example, anxiety); periodic limb movements during sleep Iron-deficiency anemia, orthopedic diseases); drug dependence (frequent use of nasal drops - adrenomimetics with a pronounced stimulating effect, for example, naphthyzinum); inappropriate sleep habits (poor sleep hygiene); sleep apnea syndrome (hypertrophy of the tonsils, diseases of the neuromuscular apparatus and anatomical features of the upper respiratory tract).

In children aged 3 to 5 years, the most common causes disturbances in falling asleep and maintaining sleep can be: iron deficiency anemia, infection and intoxication, helminthic invasion, anxiety disorders.

Sleepwalking (somnambulism) is the most common sleep disorder encountered by parents. It can happen to a child at any age, but is more common in children of the first year of life with a maximum manifestation between the ages of 2 and 4 years. With sleepwalking, the child sits up in bed with his eyes open, the so-called unseeing gaze. Speech is usually slurred. The child is not accountable for his actions. In severe cases, there may be episodes of walking around the house. It is very difficult to wake a sleepwalker - it is better to carefully lead him back to bed. Attempts to wake the child with somnambulism, as with other parasomnias, are unsuccessful and can lead to manifestations of aggressiveness. Sometimes aggression can be observed spontaneously. People around should be warned about this, as well as about the undesirability of interrupting the attack through a forced awakening. About 25% of lunatics inflict various injuries on themselves during night wanderings. It happens that somnambulists fall out of windows, mistaking them for doors. In such cases, a doctor's consultation and treatment is necessary.

Sleeping occurs more often in children during periods of tension and anxiety, while mentally the children are completely healthy. In rare cases, when combined with sleepwalking, it is carried out differential diagnosis with epilepsy.

Night fears usually occur in the first half of the night and are accompanied by a piercing cry or crying, vegetative and behavioral manifestations of intense fear. The typical age of onset is between 3 and 8 years of age. 60-90 minutes after falling asleep, the child suddenly sits up, starts screaming. The condition is accompanied by rapid heartbeat and breathing, dilated pupils, increased muscle tone. In the morning the episode of fear is forgotten. Treatment is not usually necessary, but may be indicated if episodes become frequent. In these cases, a short course of sleeping pills is usually resorted to, only after consulting a somnologist.

Night terrors are terrifying dreams that wake you up into REM sleep (dream phase). Such dreams occur in 10-15% of children aged 3-6 years. Up to 75% can remember at least one such episode in childhood. In rare cases, nightmares can continue into older age, sometimes for life. Nightmares can be caused by severe infectious diseases and watching scary movies. is common problem in children. It is divided into primary and secondary. Under the primary enuresis understand the hereditary variant of nocturnal urination. It is much more common, continuing from infancy, with a frequency of 1-2 episodes per week to several daily. Secondary enuresis is characterized by the recurrence of urinary incontinence after the child has matured the mechanisms that prevent enuresis, and episodes of which have not been for a long time ( 3b months and more). In this case, it is necessary to look for causes that can be very different - from urological to psychiatric. Enuresis occurs in 30% of children at the age of 4 years, in 10% at 6 years of age and in 3% at 12 years of age. Children over 5 years of age with persistent enuresis are of particular concern. A relationship has been found between obstructive respiratory disorders (sleep apnea - respiratory arrest) and enuresis. In such children, nocturnal urination may occur several times during the night against the background of hypoxia.

Snoring and sleep apnea. 3-12% of children of preschool and primary school age have complicated snoring. Boys snore with the same frequency as girls. The most common and clinically significant complication of snoring is obstructive sleep apnea-hypopic sleep syndrome. It is almost always accompanied by snoring and has the following characteristics: no or reduced airflow with airway obstruction with a decrease in oxygen in the blood. Such pauses in breathing can last from 5 to 40 seconds, be quite frequent and lead to inadequate and inefficient sleep. The onset of sleep is accompanied by an increase in upper airway resistance, with occasional partial or complete airway obstruction. The child usually wakes up for a short time due to hypoxia or hypercapnia (hypoxia - oxygen starvation, oxygen deficiency, decrease in oxygen content in tissues, hypercapnia - increased partial pressure and carbon dioxide content in arterial blood and in the body), as well as due to increased effort when trying to inhale. These phenomena cause repeated awakenings, lead to fragmentation of sleep and to daytime sleepiness. During obstructive episodes, a pronounced decrease in blood oxygen saturation can occur, which can cause life-threatening arrhythmias. Daytime manifestations of the syndrome of obstructive sleep apnea in children are often marked by behavioral disorders: inattention, distractibility, irritability, hyperactivity.

Bruxism is a paroxysmal contraction of the masticatory muscles that occurs periodically during all attacks, accompanied by clenching of the jaws and gnashing of teeth. In addition to gnashing of teeth, the child may complain of muscle and joint pain in the lower jaw. On examination, no abnormalities may be noted, but in severe cases, dentin abrasion, caries, and inflammation of the periodontal tissues are often observed. The diagnosis can be confirmed with a special polysomnographic study. In addition, polysomnography is important to rule out epilepsy as a causative factor in bruxism.

Periodic sleep leg movements and restless legs syndrome are periodic limb movements during sleep characterized by frequent movements, usually in the legs but sometimes in the arms. Repeat during sleep at intervals of 10-90 seconds. May cause awakenings, leading to sleep fragmentation and daytime sleepiness. Children sleep very restlessly, can take frilly positions and even fall out of bed in their sleep. Restless legs syndrome is characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs (sometimes in the arms) that appear before sleep (and sometimes at other times) and cause a strong desire to move the limbs. Children have sensations of an itchy, scraping, or aching nature that temporarily subside when lower limbs make movements, but at rest they return after a few seconds. Symptoms last from a few minutes to several hours and can significantly delay the onset of sleep, and sometimes even make it sleepless.

Nocturnal rhythmic shaking of the head or body is a sleep disorder caused by rhythmic movements. The main symptoms occur in the first 2 years of life. Typical stereotypical movements of the head and neck that occur immediately before falling asleep and persist during superficial sleep. Various types of stereotyped movements are noted - headbutts, rotation, swinging to the sides, body rolling. In adolescence, these disorders are sometimes observed in autism, schizoid disorder, borderline mental disorders.

Startle when falling asleep - sudden short-term contractions of the muscles of the arms and legs, sometimes the head, that occur when falling asleep. At the same time, sensations of illusion, falling are often experienced. In some cases, startling leads to frequent awakening, as a result of which falling asleep may be disturbed.

Night cramps of the calf muscles (cramps) - accompanied by intense pain in the calf muscles. The attack lasts for 30 minutes, then suddenly disappears, accompanied by a strong cry. Often, such paroxysms can be secondary and occur in a wide range of diseases, such as rheumatism, endocrine, neuromuscular and metabolic disorders. During an attack, calf massage, movement, warming are recommended; Sometimes magnesium supplements and iron supplements are helpful.

When evaluating the state of sleep, it is recommended to start with open-ended questions about the general well-being of the child. It is always worth considering the daytime symptoms associated with sleep disturbance. Then you can additionally ask a few clarifying questions to parents regarding individual symptoms: 1) sleep disturbances; 2) frequent awakenings during the night (impaired sleep maintenance); 3) premature morning awakening; 4) sweating during sleep; 5) emotional state child and daytime sleepiness; 6) snoring during sleep. It is also worth clarifying whether the child sleeps with his mouth open or closed.

Prevention of sleep disorders should be addressed already in early childhood, developing in children the habit of going to bed at a certain time. Before going to bed, it is necessary to avoid exciting conversations, emotionally exciting music and television programs, and tiring mental activities. Air baths, dousing and wiping, evening walks, general massage, and sports contribute to falling asleep. If there is a sleepwalker in the house, you should make a fence in front of the stairs leading down, provide the bedroom windows with strong bars, do not leave electrical wires, glass tables and fragile jewelry lying in a possible path. Due to the fact that with somnambulism there is an “internal logic” of actions, the episode can be interrupted by “entering the game”, for example, a child “preparing homework” can be told that he has already done everything, then he obediently goes to bed. For preschool children with severe bruxism, special mouthguards have been developed to protect their teeth. Prevention of dentoalveolar anomalies also eliminates the risk of sleep disorders associated with teeth grinding. Bruxism that develops in infancy usually does not require treatment and resolves on its own by 6 or 7 years of age.

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Sleep is an important part of a baby's life. In a dream, a little man grows. A good and sound sleep is necessary not only for babies, but for all children. However, not always normal healthy sleep accompanies the growth of the child. Often parents complain that the baby does not sleep well. What to do if insomnia is noticeable in a child and how to make sure that he has a full night's rest. Having found out the cause of the violation, parents can independently solve this problem.

The sleep of an adult is significantly different from the sleep of a child, who needs an average of eight hours to fully rest. The baby needs a night's rest, but, depending on age, the duration of sleep will be different.

Insomnia in children occurs at different ages. It can develop both in the chest and in the school period of life. Symptoms of sleep disorders, in any age group, will be the same.

But the reasons that lead to this pathology will be different for each age. In which case should parents be more attentive to the child if the following symptoms of sleep disturbance appear:

• the baby cannot sleep for a long time, is naughty;
• often wakes up several times a night;
• awakens in the early hours and no longer sleeps;
• older children become lethargic, distracted, sleepy during the daytime, memory begins to suffer, problems with memorization are noted;
• the child has irritability, low mood, conflict.

Causes of sleep disorders in children

In order to treat insomnia, it is necessary to find out the causes that led to sleep problems. Not always a baby, with sleep disturbance,. Often, it is enough to adjust the daily routine for a little man so that the pathological symptoms disappear. Depending on the age of the child, the normal duration of daily sleep will change in the same way as the reasons for its violation.

Infants and children under three years of age

Babies after birth should sleep a lot, about 17-18 hours a day, and by the year of life, night sleep is reduced to 12 hours with a two-hour daytime sleep.

If the child does not rest the allotted time, then the following reasons can lead to:

As the baby grows, the time spent awake during the day increases. By the age of three, the child already has a broader outlook and high activity. The flow of information that he receives by watching cartoons, books or starting to attend entertainment events has an exciting effect on the nervous system.

This informational stress prevents the child from falling asleep. In addition, there is a transition from a special diet to a common table, which may be accompanied by the appearance of pathological symptoms, in the form of diathesis or indigestion.

Insomnia in a child at 2 years old can be stopped by correcting the daily regimen. It is necessary to reduce the spectacular and moving loads. Stop outdoor games three hours before bedtime. Follow a diet, in the diet, to prevent errors in work digestive system organism.

Preschool children

A kid at 3–6 years old is already an independent person who can do everything. He is sociable, visits Kindergarten, watches TV enough time, communicates both with adults and with peers. The first conflicts with children appear. The psychological load on the nervous system increases. There is an increased risk of infection various diseases in the children's group. Discomfort from physical suffering, prevent the baby from sleeping normally.

Various cartoons or television programs with a negative plot, as well as outdoor games before going to bed, have an exciting effect on the central nervous system. An immature nervous system cannot process the entire flow of information. As a result, night fears and nightmares arise, a fear of the dark develops, which makes the baby wake up crying and calling his parents. Possible conflicts in the family complement the negative effect on the fragile psyche of the child.

In schoolchildren and teenagers

Starting school is stressful for a child. A new team, a large study load and adaptation to a new life become a big test for the nervous system of a growing organism. On this basis, the occurrence of insomnia in a child of 8 years is possible. In addition, the transition to a new daily routine does not always go smoothly.

The first conflicts with classmates give additional stress. At the age of 7-8, a first grader goes through his second pubertal period in development, when internal organs and the central nervous system continue to form. An increased school load can lead to insomnia in a 9-year-old child if he does not cope with the school curriculum.

At this age, health problems are possible that can lead to the development of insomnia. This may be a pathology of the heart, various disorders in the nervous system, in the form of tics, muscle twitching against the background of emotional lability, diseases of the endocrine system.

As the child grows, 11–12 years old, the third pubertal period begins, associated with hormonal changes in the body. Puberty starts earlier in girls. In this adolescence, children begin to devote a lot of time to computer games, often with a negative plot, there are more conflicts with peers, parents and teachers.

All these phenomena are supplemented by an increasing study load, which can lead to insomnia in an 11-year-old child. Family conflicts or mental trauma associated with the divorce of parents or the loss of a beloved animal can lead to a neuropsychic breakdown.

Risk of sleep deprivation in babies

Sleep is an important need for the normal functioning of any organism, and especially for children. It is during sleep that the growth and formation of the internal systems of the child occurs. Lack of sleep in childhood has a negative effect on all organs, and, first of all, on the central nervous system. This pathological condition threatens with problems in the future, not only in physical, but also in mental development.

Children's bodies are very sensitive to sleep problems. Lack of sleep in babies provokes a decrease in the body's resistance to various infections. In addition, there is a lag in the weight and height of the child. The little man becomes capricious, eats badly. If the cause of insomnia is not eliminated and sleep is not normalized, it is possible, in the future, to delay mental development.

Risk of sleep deprivation in schoolchildren

If a student constantly does not get his rest hours, then, first of all, the nervous system begins to suffer, which does not have time to return to normal. As a result of lack of sleep, the processes of excitation in the cerebral cortex begin to prevail over the processes of inhibition, which is reflected in its external behavior.

Decreased activity and performance. There is a slowdown in the reaction when communicating with peers. Logical and associative thinking begins to suffer. The child becomes irritable, whiny. If you do not stop insomnia, depression may develop in the future. And this is a serious complication that requires treatment. medications.

Lack of sleep at school age can provoke the development of diseases of internal organs, as there is a decrease in immunity. The student begins to complain about health. Therefore, it is very important to prevent the development of complications. Having found out in time the cause of sleep disturbance in a child, parents can cope with insomnia without medication.

Treatment of childhood insomnia

To elucidate the reason behind the development of this pathological condition, it is necessary for the mother to observe the child, his behavior, contacts with peers. To exclude any disease, the child should be examined by a pediatrician. If no infectious or somatic diseases are detected, the doctor will give recommendations on the correct daily routine.

If the student is irritable, tearful, conflicted, has problems with learning, a neurologist should be consulted to determine the possible damage to the nervous system. Treatment of insomnia is aimed at relieving symptoms of CNS excitation and eliminating sleep disorders. Medical treatment is prescribed to children only by a specialist and only for certain indications.

It is strictly forbidden to apply to children on their own, any medications. In children under three years of age, drug therapy for sleep disorders is prohibited. At an older age, treatment with medications is possible only as prescribed by a doctor, and funds based on medicinal herbs, such as:

A good effect is the treatment of sleep disorders with homeopathic remedies, which include extracts from herbs presented in microdoses. Treatment is prescribed only by a homeopathic doctor, who determines the remedy, the dose for admission and the duration of the course of treatment.

Drugs that can be used for childhood insomnia are:

• Valerianakhel - shown to children from two years old;
• Norma-sleep;
• DreamZzz - is indicated for children with sleep disorders on the background of a labile nervous system.

Proper organization of the daily routine and sleep of a child, both a baby and a schoolchild, in combination with medication or home treatment with traditional medicine, will stop the symptoms of insomnia and its complications.

Doctor Komarovsky about the rules of children's sleep

Treatment of insomnia in children should be carried out, first of all, from the creation of a child comfortable conditions for sleep. A well-known pediatrician, Dr. Komarovsky, gives recommendations, following which you can easily put your child to sleep, ensuring peace for the whole family.

A full-fledged night's rest of a little man depends largely on the parents. It is very important to create conditions for him to normal sleep. If there are signs of insomnia, it is necessary to perform certain activities recommended by Dr. Komarovsky.

They are needed not only for babies, but also for children of preschool and school age. Only their strict observance and treatment, according to indications, medications or folk medicine, will help stop the symptoms of insomnia and restore healthy sleep to the child.