It's a simple yet important fact that being healthy and fit helps a child sleep better. In today's world, though, many children are not getting the daily physical activity they need. Too much television watching and computer time coupled with a lack of activity amount to a sedentary lifestyle, which is common among children—even toddlers and preschoolers. Some studies show that although children are physically active during parts of the day, less than 2 percent of their time is spent in activities of a high enough intensity to promote cardiovascular health and better sleep.
The average American or Canadian preschooler watches as much as five hours of television per day—up to twenty to thirty hours a week—that's nearly a full-time job! It's been found that children who have television sets in their bedrooms watch the most TV of all and have the most health and fitness-related problems.
The main sleep-related problem with this much TV watching is that it robs a child of the physical activity needed during the day in order to get a good night's sleep. In the case of a TV in the bedroom, it often causes a child's bedtime to be much too late and can even create the unhealthy habit of watching in bed while falling asleep.
The Canadian Paediatric Society suggests that parents limit their preschoolers to no more than one hour of television per day. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under age two watch no television at all. Some parents may view this as extreme, but it is definitely in your little one's best interest: for his overall health, development, and for better sleep, too.
To keep it simple, here are the best TV tips for parents of toddlers and preschoolers:
• Choose programs wisely.
• Limit daily viewing times to an hour a day or less.
• Don't put a TV in your child's bedroom.
There is a direct relationship between physical activity and healthy sleep. According to sleep research completed at Stanford University, exercise can produce statistically significant improvements in the quality of sleep and can increase time spent in stage 3 and stage 4 of sleep, which are the deepest, most restful stages of sleep. In addition, adequate daily physical activity accomplishes the following:
• Tires and relaxes the body, preparing it for the upcoming night's sleep
• Controls blood pressure, improves blood circulation, and keeps the heart healthy
• Reduces the anxiety, tension, and stress that can prevent a child from falling asleep easily
• Improves the flow and transition between sleep cycles
• Reduces the likelihood of sleep disorders and insomnia
• Diminishes the probability of daytime tiredness
• Improves overall well-being, which allows for peaceful sleep
In addition, the studies that I suspect you would find most appealing demonstrate that children who get enough daily physical exercise fall asleep more quickly, sleep better, stay asleep longer, and wake up feeling more refreshed.
Mother-Speak |
"I always dismissed this advice because I thought Sebastian was getting plenty of exercise, but I've found that he needs a great deal more than he was getting. We've added daily outside activity such as hiking on rugged terrain, ball games, climbing in the playground, and working in the garden. He's having a grand time and sleeping so much better." |
—Candice, mother of three-year-old Sebastian |
Toddlers and preschoolers don't require a formal exercise program, and they don't need to be put on a workout plan! They just need to have plenty of time every day for movement: running, jumping, and other physical pursuits. The American Heart Association recommends the following:
• All children age two and older should participate in at least thirty minutes of enjoyable, moderate-intensity activities every day.
• They should also perform at least thirty to sixty minutes of vigorous physical activities at least three to four days each week to achieve and maintain a good level of cardiorespiratory (heart and lung) fitness.
These recommendations are simply guidelines for you to keep in the back of your mind. What's most important is that you opt for active playtime instead of letting your little one veg out in front of the TV or movies for long periods of the day. Sprinkle this with bursts of all-out action, such as running at the playground, riding a tricycle in the driveway, skating, swimming, dancing, or jumping on the bed (when the "bed" is a mattress on the floor, of course!).
There is one important caveat to keep in mind. You'll want to keep physical parts of your children's day separated from the prebedtime hours. Avoid letting your children have their bursts of physical activity in the hour or two before bedtime, since exercise is stimulating and has a physical alerting effect. Too much activity too close to bedtime will increase adrenaline and make it difficult for children to settle down and fall asleep—they'll be bouncing on the bed instead of snoozing in it.