Children need between 9 and 11 hours of sleep per night depending on their age. Not getting enough sleep is common in children and young people. Sleep deprivation can be caused by any number of issues including; irregular routines, worries, screen use and late bedtimes.
Teenagers have the added complication of a biological shift to go to sleep and wake later – which is at odds with the school day.
Not getting enough sleep affects children and young people’s ability to think, handle stress, maintain healthy immune systems and regulate their emotions.
In school you might notice a child is sleep deprived because;
Children and young people who are not getting enough sleep often have high levels of lateness and/or low attendance. Poor sleep can be a serious obstacle to children and young people’s education and attainment.
In Professional Settings
Alongside a healthy diet and regular activity, good sleep hygiene can make a big difference to the outcomes for children and young people. Whilst sleep ‘happens’ at home; the fallout from sleep deprivation is seen in settings.
Helping children and their families understand the value of sleep is important. Offering some support to establish healthy habits can mean children come to their setting better able to learn and engage positively.
During The Day
Advice to Share For at Night
Regular routines and a positive sleep space can really help children and young people settle at bedtimes.
Getting the build up right;
If children and young people struggle to get to sleep then using relaxation techniques can help.
If insomnia or early waking is an ongoing problem it can be indicative of low mood and may need onward referral for assessment, call Just One Number for advice.
Resources
Nuffield Health
School Wellbeing Activity Programme (SWAP) - Free 6 week programme of evidence based lessons delivered in six one hour sessions. The programme is aimed at children aged 9-12 years old but can be adapted for other school age children. The four key themes are:
E-Learning
'All Our Health' offer free, bite-sized e-learning sessions - to improve the knowledge, confidence and skills of health and care professionals in preventing illness, protecting health and promoting wellbeing. The sessions cover some of the biggest issues in public health including;
They contain signposting to trusted sources of helpful evidence, guidance and support to help professionals embed prevention in their everyday practice.
