How much sleep do kids really need?

While a small percentage of children have disrupted sleep because of sleep apnea, a far greater percentage are exhausted, irritable, and distracted throughout the day because of poor sleep habits. Dr. Dennis Rosen, associate medical director of the Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders at Boston Children’s Hospital, blames the digital age. “It’s always tempting to send one more text or check one more thing on Facebook but that distracts kids from relaxing and keeps them from going to sleep.” Compounding the problem: teens’ growing reliance on caffeinated energy drinks and Starbucks, which often keeps them wired into the wee hours.

Here are some rules Rosen sets for his own children to improve the quantity and quality of their sleep.

No bright light for two hours before bedtime. “It has a direct effect on the body’s internal clock,” explained Rosen, “and tends to push back falling asleep time” by fooling the body into thinking it’s still daytime. Blue light backgrounds on computer screens tend to pose the biggest problem, he added.

Disengage from electronic media at least hour before bedtime. Rosen shuts off the wireless router in his house so his kids can’t use the Internet after a certain time each night. Parents can also confiscate smartphones so they’ll be fully charged in the morning (if they need an excuse).

Keep temperatures moderate and pets out of bed. Rosen recommends keeping the thermostat set at 65 to 74 degrees F. “Pets also shouldn’t be jumping in and out bed when a child is trying to sleep.”

Ban caffeinated beverages after noon. Drinking these later in the day can interfere with a child’s ability to fall asleep at night.

Set a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends. Kids should wake up and go to bed at the same time each day, which is especially tough for sleep-deprived high schoolers who want to sleep in on Saturday. At the very least, get them back on schedule on Sunday.

Get bright light in the morning. A dose of sunlight helps reduce morning drowsiness and improve sleep at night, said Rosen. No, morning cartoons are not bright enough to shut off sleep-inducing hormones. Getting them to the bus stop a few minutes early is a better idea.

www.halstead.ca                                                                                                         403.259.4444

THIS STORY APPEARED IN  THE BOSTON MAIL - JUNE 4, 2012

This mother’s day I was fortunate enough to spend it with my mother, and there is no other present which is as beautiful as the presence of your mother.  I enjoyed watching my children interact and spend the day with my mom and I couldn’t imagine a more beautiful sight. I remember being a young girl and my mom sharing this poem with me that she clipped from the newspaper. At first I was a bit offended by what she was trying to say but now being a mom of two teenagers I find myself on this mother’s day sharing the same poem with my children.

I HAD THE MEANEST MOTHER IN THE WORLD

WHILE OTHER KIDS HAD CANDY FOR BREAKFAST, I HAD TO EAT CEREAL, EGGS, AND TOAST.

WHILE OTHER KIDS HAD CAKES AND CANDY FOR LUNCH, I HAD A SANDWICH. AS YOU CAN GUESS MY DINNER WAS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER KIDS DINNERS, TOO.

MY MOTHER INSISTED ON KNOWING WHERE WE WERE AT ALL TIMES. YOU'D THINK WE WERE ON A CHAIN GANG OR SOMETHING. SHE HAD TO KNOW WHO OUR FRIENDS WERE AND WHAT WE WERE DOING.

I AM ASHAMED TO ADMIT IT, BUT SHE ACTUALLY HAD THE NERVE TO BREAK THE CHILD LABOR LAW. SHE MADE US WORK! WE HAD TO DO THE DISHES, MAKE THE BEDS, AND LEARN HOW TO COOK. THAT WOMAN MUST HAVE STAYED AWAKE NIGHTS THINKING UP THINGS FOR US KIDS TO DO.

AND SHE INSISTED WE TELL THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH. BY THE TIME WE WERE TEENAGERS, SHE WAS MUCH WISER, AND OUR LIVES BECAME MORE UNBEARABLE. NONE OF THIS TOOTING THE CAR HORN FOR US TO COME RUNNING;

SHE  EMBARRESED US TO NO BY INSISTING THAT FRIENDS COME TO THE DOOR TO GET US. I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT MOST OF OUR FRIENDS WERE ALLOWED TO DATE AT THE MATURE AGE OF 12 OR 13, BUT OUR OLD-FASHIONED MOTHERREFUSED TO LET US DATE UNTIL WE WERE 16. SHE REALLY RAISED A BUNCH OF SQUARES. NONE OF US WERE EVER ARRESTED FOR SHOPLIFTING OR BUSTED FOR DOPE.

AND WHO DO WE HAVE TO THANK FOR THIS? YOU'RE RIGHT OUR MEAN MOTHER. I AM TRYING TO RAISE MY CHILDREN TO STAND A LITTLE STRAIGHTER AND TALLER, AND I AM SECRETLY TICKLED TO PIECES WHEN MY CHILDREN CALL ME MEAN.

I THANK GOD FOR GIVING ME THE MEANEST MOTHER IN THE WORLD. OUR COUNTRY DOESN'T NEED A GOOD FIVE- CENT CIGAR: IT NEEDS MORE MEAN MOTHERS LIKE MINE.

Author Unknown