Sleep: Just as Important as Nutrition?
Given that I am a pediatric sleep consultant, I’m sure you can guess what my answer is to this question. I do tend to put a high priority on sleep and am, in my humble opinion, justifiably passionate about its benefits for babies (for older children, and for adults too!).
But does my passion for sleep cloud my view on this matter, or is there actual evidence to support my position? Boy am I SO glad you asked! ;)
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m a firm believer that feeding our children a healthy, balanced, varied diet is essential to their well-being. I might even go so far as to say that it’s probably the single most important factor when it comes to their health.
But sleep is, if not equally as important, a very close competitor.
One of the first things I think about when it comes to the health of our children is the prevalence of childhood obesity. It is a HUGE public health issue! Kids who are obese have a greater likelihood of growing into adults who are obese… and I’m sure I don’t need to tell you about the myriad of health issues that pop up along with it. (Just in case you’re unfamiliar, the list includes diabetes, heart disease, various cancers, osteoarthritis, joint inflammation, and more.)
Okay… but what does sleep have to do with all of this? Once again, I’m so glad you asked!
A study conducted in 2008,* by the National Institute of Health, looked at the average total hours of sleep that kids between 6 and 24 months were getting, and then compared those results with their occurrences of obesity. Results showed that children who averaged less than 12 hours of sleep a day were over 2x as likely to be obese than those who slept for 12 or more hours. A much larger study,** conducted in the UK, showed similar results.
So this is just talking about one aspect of the impact sleep has on physical health. What about all the other benefits of sleep and its potential to impact our memory, ability to learn, mood, physical appearance, concentration, etc.
Given all of this, it seems to me that sleep should be a major concern for parents, just as diet tends to be.
But sadly, it often isn’t. I’m sure common advice offered to new/concerned parents about their baby’s sleep is well-intentioned, but it continues to irk me when I hear some of the comments frequently made. because we would never make those types of remarks about any other aspect of baby’s day.
“Babies will sleep when they want to sleep. Don’t force it.”
“Baby not sleeping is totally normal.”
“When it comes to baby’s sleep, just follow their lead. They know how much they need.”
Imagine people making these types of remarks in relation to children’s food intake…
“Kids will eat when they’re ready. You really shouldn’t schedule mealtimes.”
“If your kid only wants to eat chocolate ice cream all day, that’s totally normal, he’ll eat broccoli and quinoa soon!”
“Babies know what’s healthy to eat, just follow their lead.”
If you heard those statements coming out of anybody’s mouth, you would probably think they’re a bit loony and you certainly wouldn’t listen to their advice.
As parents, we all want our children to live healthy, active lives. We want to give them every advantage to ensure they get a good start. So just as we place emphasis on the food they’re putting into their bodies, let’s also put just as much importance on making sure they get enough sleep. Let’s teach our babies solid sleep skills that will also go a long way in promoting their overall health and well-being down the road!