Parents lose up to 750 hours of sleep during the first year of their child’s life
According to the data you manage Sleepy childrenPediatric experts for sleep health, parents lose up to 750 hours of sleep during the first year of their child’s life. This is equivalent to some 88 sleepless nights (31 whole days) or a daily reduction of 2 hours of sleep. Although this may seem a lower sacrifice in the context of parenting, the implications for the physical and mental health of the parents are very important and – above all – they can take its toll.
What are the consequences of not resting enough?
An adult spends 30% of his life to sleep, 40% in the case of children. During the hours of rest, the body secretes the growth hormone, key for its physical and psychic development, taking into account the fact that the dream plays a fundamental role in the consolidation of memory and learning of the little ones.
Not at rest, enough it can negatively affect the ability to focus and attention, irritability, it can increase the difficulty of controlling our emotions, hindering social relationships and even damaging work performance. And not only that, but the lack of sleep can cause changes in the immune system, cardiovascular problems or eating disorders.
Sleep is an essential nourishing for our cognitive development, while sleeping the body and mind are restored and prepares their development. And in the case of children, the growth hormone is secreted only during sleep.
Tips to improve rest
There are no magical recipes for this, but some suggestions that can help us reconcile the dream do not become a daily battle. Laura Pazos, director of Sleepy Kids and a psychologist specialized in sleep for children, recommends parents to be fixed realistic expectations, to accept that the first year of night awakenings is normal, to design and respect the times according to the age, which respect their children’s day sleep and generate a comfortable environment in the room.
