Our mission at Little Lucy Willow has always been to help children and young adults get the best night’s sleep they possibly can. It's no coincidence that we hand craft really good children's beds to make this happen, but more of that later!
Florence Flutterby Low Foot End Children's Bed
As adults we know the importance of sleep and that problems can occur when we don’t get the hours we need. Any new parent can attest to that! We know how it makes us moody, sluggish and unable to concentrate. We also know that it makes us reach for the quick-fix fatty and sugary snacks instead of healthier foods. One night of bad sleep and that diet goes out of the window…
All this happens to our children too when they don’t get enough sleep and if prolonged, it can affect their school work, mental health, diet and ultimately their whole future.
This week we learned that hospital attendances in England for children under 14 with sleep disorders have tripled in the past 10 years, according to NHS data analysed by Panorama. So now more than ever it's time to sit up, take notice and make sure we're doing all we can to encourage healthy sleeping habits.
Our children’s sleep is suffering mainly because of the following:
-
Blue light emitted by smartphones and tablets. This is known to reduce the natural production of melatonin, the hormone that makes us feel sleepy.
-
Later bedtimes due to both parents working, meaning busy evenings too.
-
Fizzy drinks containing sugar and caffeine, stimulating minds when they should be winding down.
It has also been reported that a strong link exists between sleep deprivation in teenagers and weight gain.
This is down to poor sleep upsetting the balance of hormones that tell our brains we are full or hungry.
Dr Catherine Hill, associate professor at the University of Southampton and consultant at Southampton Children's Hospital told the BBC that if we continue to ignore emerging evidence about the importance of sleep to health we are potentially “storing up problems for the NHS.”
She said: “We know there's a cost burden to the NHS here and now from childhood sleep difficulties, we desperately need to get children's sleep on the public health agenda.
"We've done it with nutrition: people are starting to understand the perils of sugar, the dangers of childhood obesity.
"We now need to wake up to the importance of sleep."
Improving children’s sleep
Once you recognise that your child isn’t sleeping too well and their health and wellbeing is being affected, there are simple steps you can take.
-
Changing a child’s bedtime routine can have a great impact on their quality of sleep. The Children’s Sleep Charity says that 92% of the families using their specialist clinics had solved their child’s sleep problems within six months of doing this.
- Banning smartphones and tablets from the bedroom at least an hour before bedtime can help your child wind down much easier making them ready for sleep.
- Don’t allow snacks, sugary drinks or too much exercise close to bedtime.
-
Try to create a calm and low energy routine every night and stick to it. Children thrive on routine and will eventually get used to - and start looking forward to - bedtime.
Finally, and most importantly...a handmade to order children's bed with a soft yet supporting mattress goes a long way to achieving what we all want for our children. A long and restful sleep each night plus a happy and healthy future!
