Getting an adequate amount of sleep especially during the early stages of development for any creature is of utmost importance. Humans are no exception, so it is extremely important that your little one is able to get the right amount of sleep to make sure that there is no hindrance in his/her all round development! Do you know why newborns have such erratic sleeping and waking schedules? Any kind of sleep-wake cycle is always determined by light and dark, and this is something that takes time to develop in your little one. The awareness about the light and dark takes place after 6 weeks of birth, and by the time the little one is three to six months old, the little one would probably have developed a better sleeping pattern. There are plenty of reasons why your little one needs sleep and how it helps in the all-round development of your kid.
Sleep promotes growth
Have you ever noticed in the morning, when your little one has woken up, he/she appeared to be bigger? Well, there is nothing wrong with you, since it has been proven that the growth hormone in children is mostly secreted during sleep time. To ensure adequate growth, babies spend almost 50% of their time sleeping. It has also been found that children who have a comparatively low level of growth hormone in their system, sleep less than children with a normal level of the growth hormone.
Heart Health
During sleep, the damage to the vascular system in kids gets reduced considerably, since sleep helps in regulating the production of the stress hormone and also helps in regulating cholesterol in the body. Children with sleep disorders are known to have higher levels of blood glucose during the night time, as a result of which anything from diabetes and obesity to heart disease can be caused, it is only fair to say that a regular sleep pattern will only help in keeping the blood sugar levels at an optimal level.
Weight gain/loss
Starting from infancy itself, there is the chance that if your little one ends up getting less amount of sleep then he/she might end up gaining more weight than is considered to be healthy. Children like adults, are always more attracted to and crave foods that are high in carbs and fats when they are not well rested and are tired and irritable, and since they are tired, they also end up being more lethargic and sedentary, further adding to the weight woes. So you see, sleep is an essential part of any baby’s good and healthy growth and something that you need to make sure your little one gets enough of. We know that it is not an easy feat, but once your little one starts responding to the light-dark cycle, he/she will end up developing a sleep pattern. All you have to do is monitor him/her to make sure that they are getting the amount of sleep that they need and deserve!
