Getting a good night’s rest under stressful conditions is hard enough but during a pandemic? Well, almost impossible. Buzz60’s Maria Mercedes Galuppo has the story.
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have noticed behavioral changes and academic performance issues in my child since he returned to school in person after the holiday break. Because of COVID-19, he had been attending school virtually. As a result, he had flexibility in his schedule.
Now he needs to wake up earlier to catch the bus, and we try to start bedtime rituals about 30 minutes earlier. But he has trouble falling and staying asleep at night. His teacher says he is always yawning. I suspect his school issues may be caused in part due to his lack of sleep. Do you have any advice or other suggestions to help him be more rested?
ANSWER: Adjusting to a new routine after spending so much time at home can be a dramatic change, especially for kids. Recognizing that your son is going through several changes between COVID-19 and heading back to school in person, it is not unreasonable to be concerned about behavior, mood and school performance issues. Certainly, your son’s challenges may be exasperated by his sleeping habits.
Sleep deprivation often can be an overlooked cause for behavioral or performance concerns in children. Sleep plays a major role in the restoration and recovery of the body systems, learning, memory consolidation, and healthy brain development. Lack of sleep and these processes can lead to physical and behavioral symptoms that could be misdiagnosed as more severe mental or behavioral disorders. Lack of sleep also reduces the immune system’s ability to defend against colds and influenza.
In today’s culture, putting in long hours for work and study is valued. While this may be seen as essential for success, it is important to ensure that children’s schedules aren’t so full that they have no time to relax, as this can keep them from getting adequate sleep.
If it’s a daily struggle to get your child out of bed in the morning or get him to sleep at an appropriate hour, it’s likely that he isn’t getting enough sleep on a daily basis.
Adjusting to a new routine after spending so much time at home can be a dramatic change, especially for kids.
Children need a large amount of rest each day. The number of hours needed depends on a child’s age and needs. Sleep recommendations for children are:
- 3-year-olds: They should get nine to 13 hours of nighttime sleep and one to three hours of nap time.
- 4-year-olds: They should get nine to 12 hours of nighttime sleep, with naps recommended. But this varies by child. Naps should be no longer than 2 1/2 hours.
- 5-year-olds: They should get eight to 11 hours of nighttime sleep. Naps are optional, and they should be no longer than 2 1/2 hours.
- Children 6 to 13: They should get 10 to 11 hours of nighttime sleep and shouldn’t take naps.
- Teens 14 to 17: They should get nine to 10 hours of nighttime sleep.
Getting the recommended amount of sleep can reduce your child’s moody behavior throughout the day. Being consistent with sleep can help your child stay awake until bedtime and reduce energetic behavior when it is time to sleep.
It’s important to stick to a routine and develop good sleeping habits. A healthy diet that limits caffeine and sugar intake, as well as at least an hour of physical activity, is important for quality sleep.
If you find your child doesn’t want to settle down for bed or has trouble falling asleep at an appropriate time, try expanding your bedtime routine. Consider doing quiet family activities an hour before bedtime. This can include activities such as puzzles, reading or coloring. Limit the use of electronics. Using computers, phones or video games before bed can make it harder for your child’s mind to release signals to the body that it’s time to sleep. Therefore, it is harder to decompress when it’s time for bed.
It is also important to make sure you or other family members are not the cause of your child’s restlessness. Be mindful of what activities you are doing once your son goes to bed. Are you watching TV in another room? How loud is the volume? Are you and your spouse talking? Be aware of how your voice travels. It can be hard for your child to fall asleep and stay in bed if he hears noises from another room.
Changing your child’s sleep routine can take time. Remember to stay calm, and analyze your child’s sleeping habits and how his behavior may change. Reevaluate and adjust as needed.
If you feel that your child is continuing to have trouble with sleep deprivation, or if his behavior at school is caused by something else, your son should see his pediatrician or primary health care provider. He or she can refer your son to a counselor or specialist.
(Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org.)
How stress affects the way Americans sleep
How stress affects the way Americans sleep
A good night’s sleep can help offer a clear perspective and fresh start in the morning, but unfortunately, sleep doesn’t always come easy for Americans.
Sunday Citizen conducted an eight-question survey Feb. 4–8, 2021, that asked 1,000 respondents about their sleep and how stress affects it.
Stress and sleep are intrinsically linked: High levels of stress can negatively impact sleep, just as, in a cruel twist of irony, a lack of sleep can increase stress levels. To improve sleep, experts recommend following a strict and consistent bedtime routine each day, meaning going to sleep and waking every day at the same time and avoiding impromptu naps in the middle of the day, even if you’re tired. Blue light can get in the way of rest, so it is also best to limit screen time before bed and avoid scrolling through feeds as you’re trying to fall asleep. Exercising earlier in the day, but not too close to bedtime, can improve sleep quality, as well. The Sleep Foundation recommends getting out of bed if you’re stressed about not falling asleep, as staying in bed when you’re frustrated can be counterproductive. Sometimes a change of environment and a brief calming activity, such as meditation or listening to relaxing music, can prepare the mind to return to the pillow.
While the recommended duration of sleep per day varies from person to person depending on age and other lifestyle factors, experts generally recommend the average adult gets around 7 to 9 hours of sleep each day. Yet, only 52.2% of Sunday Citizen’s survey respondents report they achieve that number and a considerable amount get less than 6 hours of sleep.
Continue reading to find out how your stress and sleep habits compare to those of other Americans.
42% of Americans usually sleep 6 hours or less per night
- Question: On average, how many hours do you sleep per night?
--- less than 6 hours: 18.3%
--- 6 hours: 23.7%
--- 7 hours: 26.9%
--- 8 hours: 21.5%
--- 9 hours: 3.8%
--- 10 hours: 2.3%
--- greater than 10 hours: 3.6%
68% of Americans have at least one night a week where they get less than 7 hours of sleep
- Question: How many nights per week do you get less than 7 hours of sleep?
--- None: 18.7%
--- Some (1-3 nights per week): 45.2%
--- Most (4-6 nights per week): 22.9%
--- All (7 nights per week): 13.2%
Over 50% of Americans occasionally have disrupted sleep
- Question: What is the quality of your sleep usually like? (In this case, "disrupted" means you wake up in the middle of the night or have trouble falling asleep)
--- High (consistent, uninterrupted sleep): 24.5%
--- Medium (occasionally disrupted sleep): 57.2%
--- Low (constantly disrupted sleep): 18.2%
Only 14% of Americans usually wake up feeling well-rested every day of the week
- Question: How many days do you wake up feeling like you had enough sleep?
--- None: 16.8%
--- Some (1-3 days per week): 35.7%
--- Most (4-6 days per week): 33.6%
--- All (7 days per week): 13.8%
Most Americans watch a TV show or movie to help them fall asleep
- Question: What helps you fall asleep? (select all that apply)
--- Watching TV show or movie: 36.0%
--- Total darkness: 29.9%
--- Reading: 28.3%
--- Total quiet: 27.4%
--- Listening to music: 12.4%
--- Exercising before bed: 4.3%
--- Other: 1.4% (answers include listening to audio books, taking medication or melatonin, and white noise)
35% of Americans are stressed about family or relationships when they can't sleep
- Question: When you have trouble falling asleep due to stress, what’s typically bothering you? (select all that apply)
--- Family or relationships: 35.0%
--- Work or education: 34.3%
--- Money/finances: 27.8%
--- News/politics: 21.8%
--- Health: 17.4%
--- Household responsibilities (such as chores): 16.7%
--- Nothing/I am not stressed: 1.6%
--- Not sure: 0.7%
--- Mental illness: 0.2%
Stress has caused 40% of Americans to wake up too early or in the middle of the night
- Question: In the past month, what effects has stress had on your sleep? (select all that apply)
--- Waking up too early or in the middle of the night: 40.4%
--- Trouble falling asleep: 36.7%
--- No effects or not applicable to me: 25.5%
--- Bad dreams: 17.9%
--- Putting off sleep to do tasks: 14.6%
--- Oversleeping: 11.7%
Most Americans have little to no stressful dreams
- Question: In a typical month, how often are your dreams about something stressful?
--- Almost never: 37.7%
--- About half the time: 22.6%
--- Most of the time: 6.7%
--- Virtually always: 5.3%
--- Not sure: 27.7%
