Children are the ones who exert the most because they run around the most, and that is why it is important that they get proper and enough sleep to recover and function equally energetically the next day. Sleep is the most basic requirement of human body and is essential because that is when the body recuperates from lack of energy, tiredness and stress. The amount of sleep a person needs depends on various factors like age group, lifestyle, stress, and activity during the day and that is why it differs from person to person.
Children between 2-4 years of age
A child between the age of 2 to 4 years needs at least 9 – 10 hours of sleep to be able to function properly and be energized enough the next day. The kids of this age group are super active during the day, doing all sorts of activities like running around, shouting, playing, using their brain to understand regular daily life problems and other things like wailing and screaming which also use up a kid’s energy. 9 hours of sleep at night and 1 to 2 hours of sleep during the day will keep their body and mind active and fresh.
Children between the age of 4-6
A child between the age of 4 to 6 years requires minimum 8 hours of sleep at night to be able to be properly active the next day. Proper sleep will help the child be active for longer and keep him/her from getting exhausted. Thus, to keep your child healthy, you should ensure that he/she gets 8 hours of sleep in the night and 1 to 2 hours of sleep during the day.
Children from the age of 6–10
A child between the age of 6-10 years needs around 7-8 hours of sleep daily. This much sleep will keep them active and keep their brain performing for the entire day. Lack of sleep will make them cranky and dull, which will result in loss of health. Make sure your kid is getting enough sleep in the night and has around an hour to sleep during the day too. Along with this make sure they have enough physical activity during the day which would tire them enough to sleep peacefully during the night.
Children from the age of 10-14
This is the age when you will see the most change in your child. He/she will grow in terms of thinking and start seeing changes in his/her body which may lead to change in the way they think or act in front of others. Make sure that the kid is getting at least 7 hours of peaceful sleep in order to overcome stress and tiredness which can be a constant complaint. For girls, it is even more important to sleep peacefully during their periods because they may get exhausted easily in shorter time.
Post 14 years of age, you should make sure that the kid is sleeping for at least 6 to 7 hours everyday just to keep the body and the mind functioning properly. This is the age of distractions which can lead to unrest in the child’s mind, thus, it becomes all the more important that the kid sleeps and recovers from the stress and stays healthy. Lack of sleep in any case will make the kid cranky and will make dealing with hormonal change all the more difficult.
Hence, as a parent, it is your duty to tell the kid the importance of sleep. Studying and performing well is important, but that cannot come at the cost of the child’s sleep. The kid will be able to give his best only if he is in good health and only proper sleep can ensure that.
