Sleep-A Key to A Healthy Immune System
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Now if you could only get your kids to go to bed. Here's how.
Looking for an easy way to help your child's immunity? Put her to bed. Researchers at Stanford University have found that the immune system functions best at night.
The Benefits of Sleep
Children who don't get enough sleep are more susceptible to illness because of lower levels of natural killer cells, the immune system's weapons that attack microbes. How much sleep is enough? Toddlers require 10 to 13 hours a day, and preschoolers need about 10 to 12.
Adequate sleep ...
- Supports overall immunity.
- Protects against obesity and diabetes.
- Helps prevent anxiety and depression.
- Maintains proper physical development.
- Maximizes the effectiveness of vaccinations.
Bedtime Tips
Predictable bedtime routines cue the brain to slow down and get ready for sleep, says Kim West, LCSW-C and author of Good Night, Sleep Tight: The Sleep Lady's Gentle Guide to Helping Your Child Go to Sleep, Stay Asleep and Wake Up Happy (Vanguard Press, 2005). For best bedtime results, West suggests these tips:
- Establish a consistent routine. This could mean reading a few stories, singing a song or two, then lights out.
- Talk about fun things. Recalling the day's pleasant events can help relieve bedtime anxieties.
- Let him know what to expect. Give a two- or three-minute warning before saying good night.
- Tell her how sweet she looks when she sleeps. "Children love to hear that," West says. "It also reassures them that you are checking on them while they sleep."
- Leave a dim night light on. Most kids like to be able to make out their surroundings.
"Sleep is essential for all human beings, but perhaps even more so for kids because their brains are developing so rapidly," says sleep expert Craig Schwimmer, M.D., and medical director of The Snoring Center in Dallas. "The fact that kids are in a constant state of learning, continuously incorporating new skills and ideas, makes adequate sleep absolutely essential for their mental and physical health."