Children’s Mental Health Month: How Sleep and Mental Health are linked

February marks Children’s Mental Health month in the UK, a time to focus on the importance of mental health for children and teenagers. Academic pressures, friendships, home life and much more can be major sources of stress for young people. So, it’s vital to ensure that they know how to take good care of their mental health in order to deal with these challenges.

Getting a good night’s sleep is fundamental for maintaining mental health regardless of age. Helping your child make sure they get enough rest is one way to help them learn how to take care of their mental wellbeing.

In this guide, we’ll be exploring how a lack of sleep might affect mental health, and provide some tips on building a health routine.

How does sleep affect mental health?

While we don’t completely understand the science behind sleep, a BBC report describes sleep as a time for your brain to strengthen important mental connections and discard unimportant ones. [1]

There are several ways in which insufficient sleep can affect children’s mental wellbeing in particular. The Mind Charity notes that sleep and mental health are linked, with sleep problems potentially causing issues that can impact your mental wellbeing. [2]

A child who’s not had enough sleep might be more irritable and easily upset and, according to the NHS, not getting enough sleep for a sustained period could lead to anxiety and depression. [3] Lack of sleep can also impact concentration and affect physical health. This can result in behavioural challenges for parents and in the classroom, as well as affecting the child’s ability to make decisions and resolve conflicts. [4]

What causes sleep problems in children?

Sleep problems in children can be caused by many things. Here are a few to consider if your little one is struggling with sleeping:

·      Illness – As adults, we know how badly we sleep when we’re feeling unwell. Colds, viruses and other bugs picked up at nursery and school can negatively affect sleep.

·      Dermatological issues – Skin problems like eczema can lead to disrupted sleep.

·      Stress – We don’t like to think of our kids feeling stressed but school and social anxieties can affect sleep.

·      Bed wetting – The Sleep Charity notes that bed-wetting is common in younger children. However, if it occurs frequently, it can start to negatively impact their sleep. [5]

·      Sensory issues – Overstimulation, noise or touch sensitivity can result in a child struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep. Speak to your child directly to understand what may be bothering them when they go to bed. White noise is something that helps many people regulate and drown out other sounds to get some much-needed shut-eye. Studies suggest that white noise can even help newborns fall asleep faster. [6]

·      Fears – Children can have the most unusual fears but fearing nighttime and the dark are very common.

How much sleep does my child need?

The NHS advises that children and teenagers need more sleep than adults, but the amount of sleep your child needs depends on their age. They recommend [3]:

·      12 to 16 hours sleep plus naps for infants aged between 4 and 12 months old

·      11 to 14 hours sleep plus naps for children aged between 1 and 2 years old

·      10 to 13 hours sleep plus naps for children aged 3 to 5 years old

·      9 to 12 hours sleep for children aged between 6 and 12 years old

·      8 to 10 hours sleep for teenagers aged from 13 up to 18 years old.

How can I help make sure my child gets enough sleep?

Stick to a routine

Keeping to consistent bed and wake-up times is a good way to train the body to feel tired and wake up at the appropriate times.

A good way to help your child stick to the same bedtime is to build them a routine they can follow every night. This might include some calming activities before bed to help them wind down such as reading (or reading to them if they’re too young to read themselves), having a bath or doing some gentle stretch exercises.

Cut screen time before bed

Most mobile phones, computer screens, tablets and laptops emit blue light which can influence your body’s circadian rhythm, our internal body clock. According to the Sleep Foundation, blue light stimulates the parts of our brain that make us feel awake. This is important during the day, but can cause a problem at night. [7] Using screens in the evening exposes us to more blue light, which can make us feel more awake when we’re supposed to be getting ready for sleep.

For this reason, it’s important to make sure your children put down their electronics two to three hours before going to sleep to prevent blue light from disrupting their circadian rhythms. Keeping devices out of their bedroom at night may be a good idea if you think they might be tempted to stay up on their electronics otherwise.

Put the day to rest

We’ve talked about how sleep is important for mental health, but good mental health also contributes to good sleep. Stressing about the day ahead, upcoming exams, friendships, insecurities, or whatever else your child is experiencing, may make it harder for them to drift off at the end of the day.

It’s not always possible to eliminate sources of worry overnight, but it is possible to help children and young people manage their worries. Keeping a journal can be a good way for older children and teenagers to visualise their feelings, so they can go to bed with a clear mind.

For children who are younger, or who find it difficult to write their feelings down, speaking to them about anything that’s troubling them could be a good way to help them look after their mental health and sleep.

Make their bedroom their sanctuary

Your children’s bedroom should be somewhere they feel safe, comfortable and ready for sleep. There may be some things you can do to help depending on their needs. For example, if your child is afraid of the dark, a night light may make them feel safer without disrupting their sleep. Alternatively, if they share a bedroom with a sibling who goes to bed at a different time, an eye mask could help prevent them from being disturbed.

It is important of course to make sure their bed is comfortable, with a mattress and pillow that properly supports them. If your child is complaining about neck and back pain, it could be that their mattress or pillow is not right for them. (Please note we only recommend TEMPUR® Mattresses for children who are old enough to turn themselves over without help).

It’s a good idea to keep common distractions like phones, tablets or games consoles in a different room overnight so children aren’t tempted to stay awake using them past their bedtime.

Sources

[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32606341

[2] https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/sleep-problems/sleep-and-mental-health/

[3] https://www.cambspborochildrenshealth.nhs.uk/sleep/

[4] https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2022/10/kids-sleep-linked-brain-health

[5] https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/information-support/children/common-sleep-problems-in-children

[6] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/noise-and-sleep/white-noise

[7] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/blue-light