How Sleep Affects Your Child's Health
There is no denying the importance of a good night’s sleep to a child’s health and growth. It can affect your child’s happiness, mood, and ability to learn. It promotes alertness, memory and performance. Children who get enough sleep are more likely to function better and are less prone to behavioral problems. When a child is well rested mood swings are diminished. It is very important for children to develop good sleep habits at an early age.
Getting enough sleep is essential to good health and well-being. Many hormones are secreted during sleep, affecting growth, energy, metabolism and endocrine functions. Although sleep needs vary from child to child, the following is a general guideline for how much sleep your child needs in a 24-hour period. 1-3 year olds require 12-14 hours, 3-5 year olds require 11-13 hours, and 5-12 year olds require 10-11 hours.
Sleep deprivation may negatively impact our immune systems, and many studies have show that it may contribute to obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Lack of sleep is also associated with increases in anger, anxiety and depression. When your child is overtired, he/she will likely become irritable and unable to control emotions throughout the day.
The comfort of your child’s mattress can have a large impact on how well they sleep. A children’s mattress should be supportive but soft. Since children weigh less than adults, they need a softer mattress to conform to their shape and provide maximum comfort. If your child is just beginning to sleep in a bed, you might want to consider a low profile or Bunkie board mattress to make it easier for your child to get in and out of bed. If you decide to start with a high profile bed so your child can grow with it, you can purchase bedrails at various department stores to prevent your small child from falling out of bed.
If you are looking for quality and comfort at an affordable price, Mor Furniture for Less is the place to shop for your child’s mattress. We have over 64 kids mattresses to choose from. We carry the top brands, Tempur-Pedic®, Serta, Simmons, and Sherwood. Come on in to a Mor Furniture for Less showroom today, and have one of our experts assist you in choosing the perfect mattress for your child.