Sleeping is a natural need for every living creature. With this in mind, it is easier to understand children and sleep.
Sleep is a fundamental activity for a child’s brain especially during early development. The sleep-and-wake cycle is regulated by the circadian rhythms. These rhythms take some time to develop hence newborns may experience irregular sleep patterns. However, by three to six months, an infant will already be having regular sleep-and-wake patterns.
The amount of sleep needed by a child may vary from one individual to another. This may be affected by various factors including age and environmental conditions.
Normally, newborns need 15-18 hours of sleep a day which is done in short durations of 2-4 hours. The number of hours of sleep per day decreases as the child grows older.
However, the need for sleep remains a vital ingredient throughout a child’s development process. Therefore, understanding children and sleep can help you understand the specific sleeping needs of your child better.
