Putting order in children's routines when going to bed is more important than we think for their health, also for ours. Many parents comment that when the children go to bed it is time for the couple to talk and have a quiet time alone.
A longitudinal study conducted in Australia followed 3,600 children during their first nine years of their lives through questionnaires for their parents every two years. According to the research findings the children who went to bed early (before 8:30 pm, remember that in other countries they end the day before) Not only were they healthier and happier overall, but their parents also reported better mental health.
Sleep is a fundamental part of our mental health and a good rest is especially important during childhood, when the foundations of future routines are laid. The effects of lack of sleep in childhood or its poor quality have repercussions on both cognitive and physical development.
For this analysis, the researchers used the information collected from parents of children who were between 4 and 5 years old, then again when they were between 6 and 7 years old, and finally when they were between 8 and 9 years old. According to the researchers, the level of melatonin, the hormone that helps the brain relax and fall asleep, tends to reach a maximum around 8 at night. Also, the sooner they go to bed, the more likely they are to comply with the recommended sleep hours.
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After analyzing data on sleep and lifestyle of the study, the researchers found that children who lay down soon had "better health-related quality of life" compared to children who did not have an organized schedule, while that his parents had improved mental health. And this, regardless of how much the children really slept. The key is to go to bed early.
"So, moms and dads, taking children to bed early is not only good for them. It's also good for you," said Jon Quach, lead author and researcher at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia.
Keys to a good rest
So you know, the time to go to bed is important, in addition to other keys. Between them:
- Lay them down early
- Always at the same time
- Maintain, as far as possible, the same routines at the end of the day
- Avoid screens before bed: they are enemies of good rest
- Exercise during the day
- Give them time after dinner
- Spend some time with them before bedtime: read them the good night story or talk to them about the day.
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