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A newborn baby sleeps restlessly. Creating comfortable conditions for a child's sleep. Difficulties in the gastrointestinal tract

There are certain generally accepted standards for how and how much a child should sleep at a given age. For example, average duration Children at 4 years old sleep 11 hours, and at 6 years old – a little more than 9 hours. These numbers are not a secret, so many parents of children aged 3 to 6 years, relying on them, believe that their child does not sleep well at night, or even discovers that he has insomnia.

If we exclude various pathologies, neurological problems and somatic disorders, as well as serious illnesses, which often become the cause of sleep disturbances in a child aged 3-6 years, who should already have developed a correct sleep pattern by this age, we can name several characteristic problems.

Child4 year old doesn’t sleep well at night: it may be due to night terrors or nightmares

For children aged 3 to 6 years, the most common cause restless interrupted sleep night terrors occur. It should be noted that they are less common in girls and occur more often in boys. Night terrors manifest themselves with sudden crying, when the child is quite difficult to calm down. Sometimes this can take up to half an hour. Crying is more common in younger children. There is no awakening. And in the morning the child does not remember that he even woke up and cried. If a 5-year-old child has trouble sleeping at night due to a sudden night terror, he or she will typically sit up abruptly in bed and experience increased heart rate, breathing, and pulse rates. He screams and calls his mother.

There are also frequent complaints from parents whose 5-year-old child sleeps poorly due to nightmares. True, in fairness, it should be noted that children of any age can have nightmares. The reason for these difficulties lies, as a rule, in overstimulation during the day or in the evening hours. Children aged 3-6 years are excitable, impressionable, and imperfection nervous system and her inability to cope with the information flow, often negative, completes the matter. As a result, a child at 3-4 years old or 5-6 years old has difficulty going to bed or sleeps poorly at night.

How can we explain that a 3-year-old child does not sleep well at night due to nightmares or fears?

Watching TV, including cartoons; too noisy and active games; a sudden gift given to a child just before bedtime; arguing between parents; educational measures applied to the child, again before going to bed; a day full of events (both positive and negative) - all these factors contribute to the fact that a 3-year-old child:

  • sleeps poorly at night;
  • often wakes up;
  • tosses and turns, cries in sleep;
  • sleeps restlessly;
  • experiences night terrors;
  • has nightmares;
  • difficulty going to bed.

What should you do to turn the situation around when baby 4 is not sleeping well? Create a more peaceful and calm microclimate where the baby lives, surround him with affection and care, eliminate the above factors that can negatively affect the fragile psyche of the child. It’s also a good idea for parents to learn the rule that there should be a time for any activity. And teach this to the baby.

Child 4 years and 5 years old: sleeps poorlyor is this quite normal?

It is important to understand that a child’s sleep becomes similar to the sleep of an adult only by the age of 7, and before this age it has its own physiological characteristics. There is an opinion that until the age of 5-7 years, children are simply obliged to sleep during the day. This is wrong. Daytime naps may well become unnecessary when the child is 4. He sleeps poorly at this age only if he night sleep restless or short. It is quite normal if your child does not sleep during the day after reaching 4-5 years of age, provided that his night sleep is stable and during the day he feels great, alert and cheerful.

The child does not sleep wellat 3 years and up to 6 years: how to help?

In addition to the basic recommendations for eliminating the possible causes of restless sleep and nervousness in a child aged 3 to 6 years, we can also recommend the use of medications that act gently and delicately. These drugs include Dormikind. It is recommended for use by children from birth to 6 years of age and is in demand by many modern mothers.

The action of Dormikind and its effectiveness are determined by taking into account the peculiarities of the sleep physiology of children, which up to 7 years of age differs significantly from the sleep of an adult. The developers created this medicinal product especially to combat sleep disturbances and anxiety, as well as to help those children who find it difficult to sleep if they are overexcited and even if they are very tired.

Dormikind contains natural ingredients. It is easy to use for both newborn infants and older children, who can easily absorb it on their own. Dormikind has proven its effectiveness and has earned the trust of many mothers whose children do not sleep well. 3 years old baby, 4 or 5 years old - Dormikind normalizes the sleep phases of children from birth to 6 years old.

Article “Sleep disorders in children. Sleep problems in older children" from the site medical center"NEVRO MED" (http://www.nevromed.ru/consultations/somnology/papers_sleep/papers_sleep_doct/child_sleep_disorders_tedke)

Article “SLEEP DISORDERS” from the website of the Department of Sleep Medicine of the First Moscow State University Medical University them. THEM. Sechenov (http://www.sleepmed.ru/nar.htm#5)

Article “Night fears and nightmares in children” by A. Bondarenko (Sleep Consultant at the “BabySleep” Center for Children’s Sleep and Development)

Article “Cartoons before bed are a bad idea” from the website of the Center for Child and Maternal Sleep (http://lifesolution.ru/blog/article_post/multiki-pered-snom-plokhaya-ideya)

With the birth of a baby, new parents face new challenges every day. A child's restless sleep is one of them. Conducting sleepless nights next to the baby’s crib, mom and dad are trying to find a way out of this situation, but first they need to figure out why their baby is not sleeping well.

Restless sleep of a newborn baby

Often, Small child cannot sleep due to any physiological ailments. The baby may be hot or cold, may want to eat or his diaper is full, may have a stomach ache or teething. But it happens that parents themselves make mistakes in parenting that lead to sleep disturbances:

  • The child has an unstable daily routine. Many parents refuse naps during the day, assuming that a tired child will fall asleep faster. Quite the contrary, a child exhausted during the day will toss and turn in bed for a long time, trying to sleep. Also, some try to put the baby to bed later, believing that the baby will sleep longer, this is also not true. Having “overstayed” the time to go to bed, the child can be active for a long time, despite the late hour.
  • The baby was taught to fall asleep by rocking to sleep. Many people teach their baby to fall asleep in their arms, rock him to sleep, or even roll him around in the car until the baby “passes out.” A child who is rocked to sleep before bed quickly gets used to it, and an already grown-up baby will find it difficult to sleep in a regular bed, unless you have to hang a hammock for him. And a child sleeping in a car does not get enough sleep in the same way as an adult on an airplane, for example.
  • Lots of distractions before bed. Various lights from toys and sparkles on the wallpaper distract the child. Often, parents put toys with lots of glowing lights and maybe even sounds in the baby’s crib, and stick bright stars and planets on the ceiling. This all distracts the child and keeps him active at night.
  • Excessive independence of the baby. Parents who have always observed a special ritual of putting the baby to bed believe that the baby has already grown up and can fall asleep on his own. Many people, thinking that their child has already matured, cancel the daily bath before bed or a fairy tale, but the child is already accustomed to all these actions, and if something familiar to him suddenly disappears, the baby will be capricious and will not fall asleep for a long time.
  • The parents taught the baby to sleep with them. It happens that the child is really unwell, and the parents allow him to fall asleep on their bed. Sometimes this can be done, but if mom and dad can’t restrain themselves from seeing their baby’s “puppy eyes” and letting him into their bed over and over again, the child will simply get used to sleeping with his parents and will be capricious in his crib, and waking up at night, crawl to mom and dad.
  • The child often does not have time to mature for a regular children's bed. Parents buying new bed to their baby, they do not take into account the fact that the baby is not ready to “move” from his small crib, and falling asleep in the wrong place, he wakes up at night and goes to a more comfortable spot for sleep - in bed with parents.

Restless baby sleep, what to do

If the baby cannot fall asleep due to physiological needs that suddenly arise before bedtime, this is easy to fix, but if insomnia has been tormenting the baby for more than the first day, you need to act decisively. The main thing that parents should do is to establish a clear daily routine so that the baby goes to bed at the same time.

Rocking a child is necessary to calm the baby, and not to put it to sleep, night motion sickness of the baby long months his life may have a bad impact on his future. The baby should be taught to sleep in the dark as early as possible, and all entertaining toys and rattles should be removed from the child’s field of vision. Following a calming ritual means a lot to a child, so it should not be abandoned at an early age.

You should allow your baby to sleep in the parent’s bed only if the baby is sick or afraid of something, but ordinary nights, the child should sleep in his own bed. There is no need to “move” your baby to a new place to sleep at least until he is three years old; he may not be ready for this yet.

Child's sleep disturbance is not a simple problem, and requires the patience of parents to solve it. The cause of a baby’s nighttime whims may be physiological needs for something, or it may be parents’ mistakes. In any case, this problem must be solved as quickly as possible, for the child’s full growth and have a nice rest parents. In order for your baby to sleep well, you should eliminate all factors that interfere with his peaceful rest, and not make mistakes, which are not always easy to get rid of.

What to do if babies sleep restlessly

The joyful excitement about the arrival of a baby in the family fades. Monotonous everyday life is being replaced, in which young mothers daily need to solve many problems related to the full development and health of the newborn. During the first months of life, an infant sleeps most of the day. During this time, mom has time to do household chores and relax herself. But what to do if your baby doesn’t sleep well, and how to find out why this is happening?

  1. To begin with, let us clarify that for newborns up to 3 months, the norm for sleep is 17-18 hours a day. As you grow, the number of “sleepy” hours decreases.
  2. From 3 to 6 months, the baby usually sleeps at least 15 hours a day.
  3. From six months to a year - 14 hours.

Healthy sleep - important aspect in the life of a baby, since during this time he restores expended energy resources, and the baby’s brain has time to process the information received while awake. If he sleeps little and poorly, then this negatively affects general state, the child becomes lethargic and whiny.

Common sleep disorders

Often young mothers turn to the doctor with the question: “Why does the child sleep poorly?” When calculating the baby's sleep time in general, it turns out that the baby sleeps a sufficient amount of time. But here it is important to note that the indicator of healthy sleep is not the number of dreams per day, but the number of hours. After all, if a child sleeps restlessly for half an hour and is awake for half an hour, then this regime gives no rest to the mother, and the baby is uncomfortable. What if this happens at night? The whole family will suffer. What baby sleep disorders can parents encounter?

  1. The baby has difficulty sleeping. The mother has to rock the baby for a long time, carry her in her arms, turn on music, etc.
  2. Disturbance in sleep and wakefulness. Sometimes the baby sleeps a lot during the day, and at night he walks and is capricious.
  3. The child wakes up frequently. Daily norm sleep can be observed.
  4. The baby sleeps restlessly and cries in his sleep.
  5. The newborn sleeps little.

In the first year of life, active synthesis of growth hormone occurs during sleep. Therefore, sleep disturbances can lead not only to nervous system disorders, but also to slower growth and development of the baby.

Causes of sleep disturbances

If your newborn is having trouble sleeping, the first thing to do is find out why. Parents need to be patient and consistent to determine the cause of restless sleep. The reason is usually quite banal. This may be an unfavorable microclimate in the baby’s room, a violation of the diet, improper care. The problem may be more serious - neurological disorders sleep. In this case, you cannot do without the help of a specialist. In all other cases, parents can easily cope on their own.

Nightmares

Often, a newborn baby does not sleep well at night if he does not hear the smell and warmth of his mother. After all, he is used to being in the confined space of his stomach, and when he is born, he may be afraid of a large space and experience anxiety. If the baby, sensing the mother’s absence, starts crying in his sleep and wakes up, then you should not immediately pick him up.

It is necessary to give him the opportunity to get used to the fact that his mother will not rush to him at the first call. You can indicate your presence with your voice. When a child hears his mother's kind words, he usually calms down and falls asleep again. If this does not happen, then you should take the little one in your arms and caress him.

To make it easier to calm your baby at night, you need to place the crib closer to your own. It’s even better if the baby falls asleep in the cradle and not in the crib. The small space of the cradle is more comfortable for him. Provide mental contact For the baby and mother at night, things placed nearby will help: a diaper or pillow that smells like mother’s milk, a favorite toy.

Restless sleep in a 2 year old child

At an older age, the cause of nightmares in children can be an excess of information, emotional experiences during the day, and stress. All the worries associated with communication in kindergarten, TV shows watched, computer games, the psychological situation in the family is reflected in nightmares. There is no cause for concern if this happens rarely.

But if a child does not sleep well at night and the reason for this is regular nightmares, then this serious reason contact a psychologist or neuropsychiatrist, and also review the baby’s daily routine and environment.

Nutritional reasons

If the newborn does not sleep well, then possible reason There may be colic and gas in the stomach. This phenomenon is quite common among babies aged from birth to three months. To avoid such problems, it is recommended to place the baby on his tummy before feeding. To help pass gases better, your child needs to do light massage tummy and gymnastics.

After feeding, the baby should be in the mother's arms vertical position. Burping will help prevent colic. A warm bath also has a beneficial effect on the condition of the little man, dill water or pharmaceutical drops.

It is believed that a child whose mother breastfeeds is less likely to suffer from tummy pain. If for some reason the mother does not have milk, then it is important to choose the right formula. Prebiotics and probiotics in the mixture help improve intestinal microflora, the child suffers less from abdominal pain, which means he sleeps better both day and night.

Baby is hungry

Another reason why a baby does not sleep well is hunger. A newborn may wake up frequently at night and have difficulty sleeping during the day if he is hungry. In the first weeks of life frequent appointments food is simply necessary. And some babies will continue to need more frequent feedings due to accelerated metabolism. If the child is on breastfeeding, then you definitely need to feed him before going to bed.

If the baby is transferred to artificial feeding, then he falls asleep better if you give him a pacifier after the bottle. Does your baby sleep restlessly at night? Feed your baby and check the diaper.

It's time to change the diaper

One more trivial reason The reason why a child sleeps little or poorly can be a full diaper, wet diapers and diapers. This problem is made worse by the fact that the baby's skin is too thin, so the receptors are located too close to the surface. Infant waste products contain toxic substances that are annoying delicate skin. Therefore, if your child sleeps restlessly or often wakes up at night, check whether it’s time to change the diaper.

The temperature regime is violated

The newborn sleeps restlessly because the room is too hot or, conversely, too cold. The optimal temperature in the room should be 20-24 degrees.

The baby also reacts to air humidity, which can be either excessive or insufficient. High humidity increases the effect of temperature on the skin receptors of the newborn. Therefore, even if the room temperature is normal, the baby will be hot or cold.

Thermoregulation in newborns has not yet been established. Therefore, if the room is very hot or the child is dressed warmly, his body temperature will rise. The baby will be uncomfortable, he will sleep little and poorly both during the day and at night. Reduced temperature and too light clothes also do not contribute to healthy sleep for the baby. Watch how the child is dressed, what is the temperature and humidity in his room.

Methods for establishing sleep patterns

If you can determine why your child is sleeping poorly, then eliminating the problem will not be difficult. To summarize, we will try to list all the components of healthy sleep for a baby and list methods that will help young parents avoid difficulties. To ensure your baby sleeps well at night, you should follow these rules:

  • Walks. During the day, you should definitely walk with your child in the fresh air. If you play with your baby in the evening and provide a sufficient period during which he remains awake, he will fall asleep more easily and will disturb his parents less at night.
  • Dryness control. When the baby falls asleep, he should have dry diapers and swaddles. At night it will disturb you less.
  • Water procedures. An evening warm bath will help your baby relax and empty his intestines. A light massage also helps with this. The baby will be prepared for sleep, he will not be bothered by colic and will not wake up often at night.
  • Meals on schedule. If a child has eaten little or, conversely, too much, he will not sleep well. Monitor your newborn's diet.
  • Micro-autonomy. You shouldn't rock your baby to sleep. It is better to teach him to fall asleep on his own in a crib or cradle. You can put your favorite toy, warm diaper or pillow nearby. Many parents make the mistake of putting their baby to sleep in their own bed and then moving him to the nursery. During the shifting process, the child may wake up and then it will be difficult to put him to sleep, and he will have trouble sleeping at night.
  • Peace and quiet. When the baby falls asleep, it is advisable to eliminate sources of noise and bright light. Loud conversations, TV noise, bright lights can cause anxiety and bad sleep your little one.
  • Baby's comfort. Observe temperature regime in the room where the child sleeps. Choose the right clothes for your baby.
  • Well-being control. The fact that the child is bothered by pain, that he does not feel well, may be indicated by his tearful state during the day. If the causes are not eliminated, this will affect not only the health status, but also the child’s sleep. If you cannot independently determine the cause, you should contact a specialist.

If you have determined why your newborn baby sleeps little and poorly, then you can easily eliminate the reasons. By following the above rules, you will be able to create favorable conditions for healthy sleep of the child and your rest.

A child tosses and turns in his sleep Doctor Komarovsky

The baby's main responsibilities are to eat well and sleep well.

After all, in the “embrace of Morpheus” children not only relax, they grow, strengthen their immune system and process a huge amount of information received during the day.

But there are situations when the child sleeps restlessly and tosses and turns a lot, and this magical process is disrupted in the most various reasons. Then both the baby himself and the parents who are looking for a way to help him suffer.

There are several stages in a child's life when sleep problems arise.

First stage- a week after birth. At this age, the baby is bothered by new, unfamiliar sensations. He is often malnourished due to the fact that his mother has not yet improved. Therefore, the baby often wakes up and demands food. In addition, before the first bowel movement, he may be bothered by abdominal pain. Within a week, these first difficulties end: intestinal function improves, the mother's milk comes in - sleep becomes more restful and longer.

Second phase– age from three to six months. This is the time when most children begin and. Increased gas formation delivers to the child severe discomfort. Also, at this age, the first teeth most often begin to cut, causing the baby severe pain. These discomfort worsen at night, so restful, sound sleep is out of the question.

Third stage begins . The child develops his first childhood fears. He begins to be afraid of the dark, negative heroes of fairy tales and imaginary monsters. And also - getting acquainted with such a feeling as. The baby is jealous of mom and dad for everyone and often worries. All these fears cause nightmares, which often wake the child in the middle of the night.

  1. REM sleep is a superficial and active phase, during which a person moves, smiles, dreams and processes knowledge acquired during the day. During this phase, even minor discomfort or external irritation can wake a person.
  2. Slow-wave sleep is deep and calm, the body rests and grows, and the immune system is strengthened.

In infants fast phase takes up to 50% of total sleep time. Therefore, they wake up quite often.

Main causes of restless sleep

Violate light sleep a child can do anything.

Its quality depends:

  • from well-being;
  • lifestyle;
  • age characteristics;
  • temperament;
  • the environment in which he sleeps;
  • global changes in life.

In fact, there are many more reasons for restless sleep.. They are divided into three groups:

  1. physical;
  2. psycho-emotional;
  3. pathological.

Physical reasons

The most common natural problems associated with the characteristics of the human body or irritating external factors:

  • Moro effect ( natural reaction frightened baby - he shudders, throws up his arms and opens his palms, and if the baby sleeps without diapers, he will wake up from each such shudder).
  • Feeling hungry or thirsty.
  • Wet diaper.
  • Teething, colic.
  • Uncomfortable position.
  • Uncomfortable clothes.
  • Maturation of reflexes - during periods of mastering new skills (rolling over on his tummy, etc.), the baby can hone them even in his sleep, waking up from his own movements.
  • External factors – too high or low temperature indoors, insufficient air humidity, bright light, loud sounds.

Psycho-emotional reasons

Psycho-emotional causes are conditions that cause emotional overload - positive or negative:

  • Features of temperament.
  • Overexcitement, stress.
  • Violation of the daily routine (excess or lack of sleep during the day).
  • Insufficient activity during waking hours.
  • Age-related characteristics (temporary predominance of the superficial sleep phase).
  • Lack of mother nearby.

Pathological problems causing sleep disturbances

Pathological problems include various diseases that affect well-being:

  • elevated temperature;
  • ear pain caused by otitis media;
  • difficulty breathing with a runny nose;
  • dysbacteriosis;
  • Itching during pregnancy and other ailments can deprive a little person of sleep.

Pain during teething and colic do not belong to this group, as they are natural for small child.

How to fight

The first and easiest step to a child’s healthy sleep is to create for him comfortable conditions and eliminating the physical causes of restless sleep.

It is necessary to approach the choice of a crib, mattress, bed linen. It is better to choose wallpaper and textiles in light, calm colors, as bright shades are tiring.

In the children's room, the temperature should be maintained at 18-20 ° C and the humidity around 60%, and the room should be regularly ventilated. Newborns can be frightened by complete silence; older children also fall asleep more easily to quiet monotonous melodies, so during “quiet hour” you can turn on a recording of the sounds of nature: rain, the sound of the sea, birdsong and others.

Before going to bed, the baby should be fed and changed. It is recommended to have dinner no later than an hour and a half before lights out. Drink plenty of fluids before bed is not advisable. Newborns sleep better in diapers; for older babies, you need to choose comfortable pajamas that do not restrict movement. After falling asleep, you should ensure peace, protect from loud sounds and bright light. Try not to wake up if the baby overslept during feeding time: an extra half hour of sleep, even on an empty stomach, will not do any harm, but the baby will wake up on his own and in a good mood.

In the first months of life, the baby is still learning to sleep, so often during the active phase of sleep he opens his eyes and begins to whine.

You should not rush to your child at the first sign of awakening; you need to give him the opportunity to calm down and fall back into sleep.

During night feedings, nothing should disturb the baby or attract his attention. If, waking up in the middle of the night, he sees a familiar picture - his room, a night light, his favorite toy - then he will quickly and easily fall asleep again.

Solving psycho-emotional problems will require more effort. First of all, you need to take care of maintaining your daily routine. It can be formed starting from the age of one and a half months, because at this time small man already draws attention to the difference between day and night. And even in the short time when a two-month-old baby is awake, this difference can be emphasized. Night feedings and changing clothes should be carried out in silence, without talking to the baby, by the light of a night lamp.

During the day, you can play with him, entertain him with songs and nursery rhymes, and during the daytime rest, do not darken the room so that the difference from what the child sees at night is clearly noticeable. For the same purpose, some consultants children's sleep It is advised to put the baby in a different place during the day. The regime must be strictly observed: firstly, the child gradually gets used to falling asleep at the same time, and secondly, children feel much more confident and calm when the day goes according to their usual scenario.

Every family should have strict rule: wish each other Good night only in a good mood.

A person - both an adult and a child - should fall asleep in a relaxed, calm state.

Therefore, all grievances and quarrels should be resolved and forgotten long before bedtime. Otherwise, worries will bother the little impressionable person all night.

Joyful shocks can play the same cruel joke. It is better to postpone good news, a new thing, a visit from a beloved relative and other joyful events to a later date. early time days.

It is very important for a child to follow a certain familiar ritual before bed. Reading fairy tales, singing lullabies, discussing the events of the day, or another evening tradition will help you calm down and get ready to relax. When choosing such a ritual, you need to take into account the baby’s temperament: some may be lulled to sleep by a short lullaby, while others need a whole hour to fall asleep.

For the same reason, it is not recommended to have noisy parties in the evening. active games. The parent who puts the baby to bed should be in good calm mood. The child feels his parents’ feelings very well, and if mom or dad are in a hurry or nervous, he unwittingly copies their behavior and then bedtime can take hours.

If a child is prevented from falling asleep by some fears or is tormented by nightmares, he also cannot do without the help of adults. You should treat the child’s problem with all understanding and sympathy. If he asks you to stay with him at night or hide him under his blanket from imaginary monsters, you cannot brush him off or laugh at his request.

Or you can joke and laugh together about what scared the baby.

But to be ironic about the cause of fear, and not about the child himself!

To prevent this problem, you should carefully select the films and fairy tales that your child watches and listens to. They must be age appropriate.

Children should also not see news stories about natural disasters, catastrophes and crimes.

If the causes of sleep disturbances lie in health problems, you need to devote all your efforts to treating the child and alleviating the symptoms that caused insomnia. Recovery will be followed by normalization of sleep.

Health and wellness child depends on many factors. And the task of parents is to create all the conditions so that the baby eats properly, sleeps soundly, is healthy and cheerful. Only then will he be able to regularly delight his loved ones with new achievements.

Video on the topic

Need child's body in dreams more than in food. Good dream indicates the health of the child.

15% of children have some disturbances in night rest. Let's look at why some children have sleep problems. In what cases should you consult a doctor because of your child’s poor sleep? Let's listen to the advice of neurologists and baby food nutritionists.

Many children experience sleep disorders to varying degrees.

Why do children need to sleep?

Sleep is physiological state, during which restoration processes occur in the body. At night, children produce growth hormone. It’s not for nothing that they say that children grow in their sleep. Recovers during sleep the immune system through the production of immunoglobulins and activation of protective T-lymphocyte cells. While children sleep, the short-term information they accumulated during the day passes into long-term memory. In other words, at night the knowledge gained during the day is consolidated.

The duration of sleep in children aged 2–3 years is 12 hours, of which 1.5–3 hours are day rest. As they grow older, daytime rest decreases and by the age of 4, the need for it disappears in many children.

Types of difficulty falling asleep and awakening at night

The disorder is considered to be difficulty falling asleep or waking up frequently at night. There are more than 100 types of sleep disorders, which fall into 3 main types:

  1. Insomnia – difficulty falling asleep and waking up at night.
  2. Parasomnias – sleepwalking, night terrors, enuresis, sleep talking, bruxism, twitching.
  3. Sleep apnea is short-term cessation of breathing.

Parasomnias are caused by immaturity of the nervous system and pass to adolescence. Long-term sleep disturbance for more than 3 months requires observation by neurologists. If the problem persists, somnologists conduct a study using polysomnography.

Individual characteristics of children

Each child is different, so he may need less sleep than other children his age.

As children get older, they need less time to rest at night and more time to stay awake. The peculiarities of the physiology of children from 2 years of age are that their sleep and wakefulness patterns are already established, and babies can sleep all night. By virtue of individual characteristics Some children sleep less than their peers but still feel fine. Such characteristics of children are not associated with any diseases. The fact that, in your opinion, your child is sleeping little for his age is a problem, may be the reason to consult a doctor.

Causes of difficulty falling asleep or waking up at night

Sleep disturbance in children 2 years old is often associated with improper diet and diet or caused by diseases.

The most common reasons:

  • neurological causes;
  • emotional overload during the day and before bedtime;
  • poor nutrition;
  • physiological characteristics;
  • somatic diseases.

In children 2 years old, the most common reason for poor sleep or interruption of night rest is emotional overload, which can manifest itself in the form of night fears.

What to do if you have disturbed sleep?

Most often, the cause of night fears is emotional overload before bedtime and not correct mode. Sometimes the cause of fear is fear. Emotional overload can be caused by the late return of the father, who before bedtime arranges noisy emotional communication with the child. Excited children have difficulty falling asleep and often wake up and call for their mother. Such conditions occur several times a week. Night terrors go away by adolescence.

Noisy games in the evening should be canceled

If the baby wakes up at night from his own scream, take the baby in your arms, calm him down in a quiet voice and ask all household members who have come running to the scream to leave the children's room. If your child has frequent night terrors, you should consult a neurologist. Prolonged night terrors may be of epileptic origin.

When treating sleep disturbance in children 2 years old, it is very important to adhere to the following measures:

  • maintain a daily routine;
  • do not allow games on the computer or phone before a night's rest;
  • It is recommended to put a 2-year-old baby to bed at 21:00 at the same time;
  • ensure daytime sleep of 1.5–2 hours;
  • Avoid watching TV before going to bed;
  • an hour before falling asleep, do not allow noisy active games;
  • It is useful to take a walk with your baby before bedtime or dinner;
  • Before going to bed, ventilate the room well;
  • The baby should not be too hot or cold during the night's rest.

Daytime rest is important for children 2 years old. A baby who does not sleep during the day will not sleep well at night. It is useful to perform a ritual of preparation for falling asleep - collect toys, read a fairy tale. IN younger age if you have trouble falling asleep or waking up at night, you can give sedatives herbal infusions from valerian, lemon balm. It is useful to conduct a course of treatment before going to bed with warm baths with an infusion of a herbal collection consisting of equal parts of thyme, valerian, motherwort, and lemon balm. For infusion, brew 2 tbsp. l. dry mixture with 1 glass of water and leave for a quarter of an hour in a water bath. The water temperature should not be higher than 37.0 °C.

Poor nutrition

The child’s diet should be balanced and fortified

Sleep problems in healthy children can occur when poor nutrition. The daily diet should be sufficiently high in calories. The food eaten at dinner should be enough to prevent the baby from waking up at night from hunger. A large dinner before bed will cause stomach cramps. Chips and fast food can cause vomiting in children at any time of the day. The nutrition of children 2 years old should be balanced.

The diet of children from 1 to 3 years old should contain the following products daily:

  • Animal protein is construction material, necessary for growth and providing iron to the blood. If there is a shortage meat dishes from beef children develop Iron-deficiency anemia, the immune system weakens. Due to a lack of protein, children lag behind in development and their memory deteriorates.
  • Fish is a source of vitamin D, without which a deficiency of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium occurs in a growing body. An imbalance of these minerals negatively affects the growth of bones and teeth of a growing organism. With a lack of minerals, children sleep poorly, sweat in their sleep, and develop dental caries. Deficiency of minerals and vitamins affects intellectual development children.
  • Dairy products are a source of calcium and protein, which are needed for the formation of bones and teeth in a growing body.
  • Fruits and vegetables provide the body with vitamins and minerals.

Children from 1 year to 3 years old need food after cooking. Vegetarianism for children from 1 to 3 years old is unacceptable. Keeping the fast, with medical point view, is interpreted as an inhumane attitude towards children. The raw food diet method is also unacceptable for feeding children. Children as young as 2 years old cannot digest that much raw food. The gastrointestinal tract of children from 1 year to 3 years is not able to provide enzymes to digest raw fiber. The result of a raw food diet will be gastritis and colitis. Eating problems make it difficult to fall asleep and cause awakenings at night.

Snoring in children

Reason frequent awakenings There may be snoring, which occurs in some children after 1 year with enlarged adenoids and tonsils. With severe enlargement of the tonsils, the flow of air to the lungs is limited. The child wakes up from oxygen deficiency. IN severe cases adenoids can be so enlarged that during sleep they completely block the air flow and cause a short-term cessation of breathing - apnea. Children often wake up and feel drowsy during the day. With such a serious sleep disorder, children need examination by ENT specialists and somnologists who study sleep using polysomnography. In case of enlarged adenoids and tonsils, surgery eliminates snoring and restores nighttime rest.

As a result, we emphasize that the main sleep problems are emotional overload and violation of the regime. Improper or insufficient nutrition also contributes to sleep disturbances in children aged 1 to 3 years. To get rid of the problems of night rest, you need, first of all, to establish the correct regime and regulate a balanced diet.

Newborns often sleep poorly at night, disturbing inexperienced mothers and fathers with such behavior. Parents begin to think that the baby is not feeling well, which is why he behaves this way. In fact, you shouldn’t worry too much, because infants often suffer from sleep disorders; you just need to correctly identify the causes of the disorders.

Every mother can ensure that her baby snores sweetly in the crib for the required number of hours. This requires some effort. Deep sleep day and night - this is not only a benefit to the growing body, but also a lot of free time for parents who are exhausted by work and housework. Young mothers have the opportunity to devote an extra couple of hours to themselves. Let's figure out why the child tosses and turns and what to do if the baby's sleep has become restless.

Data. During the first months of life, babies do not understand what day and night are. They are awake for about 6-10 hours a day.

Causes of sleep disturbances during the daytime

Small children are not yet fully adapted to the daily routine. Babies wake up if they want to eat, drink, or because the temperature in the room is inappropriate. Affects the quality of daytime sleep and feeding time. The baby sleeps restlessly for several reasons:

  • Unfavorable microclimate of the room in which the baby is located. Dry air, too much heat in a room, infrequent ventilation will ruin the rest of even an adult;
  • Unstable emotional background. This is due to the still fragile psyche of the baby, for example, babies cannot always fall asleep after active games in the fresh air;
  • Tight clothes or a blanket that is too warm. You should not wrap your child up in the summer months, with the exception of living in the Arctic Circle.

The following factors have a significant impact on sleep quality:

  • The appearance of the first teeth;
  • Abnormal stool, for example;
  • Individual characteristics of the body: among people, larks and owls are distinguished;
  • Meteor dependence;
  • Difficulty breathing due to;
  • Psychological barriers, for example, a newborn wants to always be close to his mother, not wanting to be separated even for sleep.

Data. A person spends approximately 20-30 years of his life sleeping. For good rest you need 7-8 hours of sleep.

Causes of sleep disturbances at night

The real problem is the baby's wakefulness in dark time days. After all, then adults and babies cannot fully relax. Finding yourself in the kingdom of Morpheus is prevented by eating at the wrong time or nervous overexcitation. Infants also make their contribution, appearing from two weeks of age and making themselves felt up to 4 months.

Often infant sleeps soundly when his mother puts him to sleep next to her. The family does not have to spend the whole night in one sleeping place; the baby can be transferred to the crib after he falls asleep. The parent's bed should be in close proximity to the sleeping child. Not allowing you to get a good night's sleep:

  • Night urination. Diapers get wet and friction damp cloth leads to skin irritation;
  • Loud sounds. In city apartments there are many sources of noise: music lover neighbors, cars, and companies in the yard;
  • A newborn sleeps restlessly due to lack of attention, care and affection from the parents.

Data. The birth of a child leads to the fact that young parents lack about 500 hours of sleep in the first year of the baby’s life.

How long should a child sleep?

Sleep duration and quality affect health and general development small organism. You should know how much time your child should spend in bed at each stage of life:

  • Up to three months, children sleep for a very long time; they should spend about 15-18 hours a day sleeping;
  • Up to six months, babies need 14 hours a day;
  • Up to one year, the indicators are close to 11-12 hours;
  • IN daytime hours Newborns sleep about the same as an adult, about two hours.

Data. Scientists have proven that the presence excess weight associated with lack of sleep.

But you shouldn’t run to the doctor if the time your child spends sleeping differs slightly from these data. Average indicators are presented here, and each human body unique: for some, 5 hours is enough, and for others, 10 is not enough.

What actions need to be taken?

The baby will sleep peacefully if you follow the recommendations below.

Temperature and humidity

Maintain optimal temperature and humidity. About twenty degrees Celsius is considered ideal. Fresh air promotes deep sleep, so it is important to open windows as often as possible. For example, babies sleep well while walking. Parents should regularly spend time outside with their child.

Darkness

The room should be as dark as possible; it is in darkness that a person produces the sleep hormone - melatonin. For a good daytime sleep, it is necessary to curtain the windows with thick curtains so that natural light does not interfere with the process of falling asleep. Small children do not always like to be in pitch darkness; he will be more comfortable with a night light or light coming from the next room.

Hunger

Both children and their parents sleep better on a full stomach. Feeding should be mandatory before exercise and before going to bed. Sleeping on an empty stomach becomes superficial. A breastfed newborn falls asleep well after consuming mother's milk. For artificial babies, a bottle with a nipple is suitable. The feeding process calms you down and sets you up for a long rest.

Lullaby

Some babies benefit from listening to pleasant music or lullaby song. A mother's voice soothes any newborn.

Motion sickness

Promotes falling asleep quickly motion sickness But babies are very strong, they will have to pump for a long time, otherwise sleep will not come. Children often sleep in a stroller that is in motion, waking up when it stops moving.

Closeness with mom

Young children have a hard time adapting to new living conditions. Just yesterday they were in the womb, and today they are already forced to be in this unfamiliar and big world. It is psychologically more comfortable to be with the closest person – your mother. Therefore, newborns calm down when they are near their mother, feeling her warmth and smell.

Co-sleeping

Some parents are skeptical about sleeping in the same bed. Then your sleeping places should be next to each other. Babies often wake up in the middle of the night and the mother's absence can be severe stress for a small child. The proximity of the crib allows you to immediately respond to the sounds made by the baby.

Small crib

In a children's furniture store, pay attention not to cribs, but to small cradles. A miniature space gives a feeling of comfort and security.

Dry diaper

The baby will toss and turn and behave restlessly if he has wet his underwear. Pampers are not recommended by many pediatricians, but they are convenient at night. If you don’t want to put them on your baby, then be prepared for getting up at night and changing wet diapers to dry ones.

Thirst

The baby does not sleep well and wakes up from strong desire drink. Thirst and anxiety can be caused by too dry air in the room, this is important in the cold season when the heating is on. To humidify the room, you can purchase a special device or simply hang a wet sheet on the radiator. There should be a bottle of liquid next to the crib.

Colic

Up to 4 months restless sleep may be caused in an infant. In this case, shown massotherapy, special gymnastics, lying on the stomach before feeding, bathing in warm water, reception. Parents of children in artificial mixtures, you should carefully consider the choice of food. An incorrectly selected mixture can cause severe harm to the body.

Ritual

Develop a unique bedtime ritual, for example, listening to music, taking a bath with a decoction medicinal herbs or reading fairy tales in the evening. Also, the newborn must have a strict daily routine. Some factors lead to overstimulation of the psyche, for example, watching television, outdoor games, a large number of strangers around. You should avoid this and then the child will fall asleep easily and sleep soundly for a long time. A calm atmosphere is a hall for good relaxation.

Falling asleep on your own is best prevention frequent night awakenings. Just don’t listen to the baby’s cries half the night and not take any action. This issue should be approached consistently and carefully.

Fatigue

Before going to bed at night, the child should be awake for at least 4 hours, then he will sleep soundly throughout the night.