New Sleep Guidelines for Children: Benefits of Getting Enough and the Dangers of Getting Too Little

We know an adult needs at least 7 hours of shut-eye but most parents and care providers are confused about how much sleep kids should be getting. Only a few people are educated about sleep. With the help of a 13-member panel of experts, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has released the first official sleep guidelines for how much snooze children should get, depending on their age.

Lack of sleep is a growing trend among youngsters so the new sleep guidelines are as essential as to what we eat and activities we do, according to Wendy Hall from Canada - a UBC sleep specialist and nursing professor and one of the experts in the panel, reported CBC News. In a survey, at least 25 percent of 12-year-olds don't get enough sleep and this has a large impact on their learning and memory.

Following the new sleep guidelines, sufficient amount of sleep in kids promotes growth, healthy weight, protects them from cardiovascular damage and promotes stronger immunity from germs. Other benefits the sleep guidelines endorse are the increase in kids' attention span, boosts learning and children are cautious, reducing injury risks. For optimal health and learning development, children and teens should get the following sleep guidelines (per 24 hours) on a regular basis:

The AAP has endorsed new sleep guidelines for children. Are your kids getting enough sleep? https://t.co/mn9xHeRkUc pic.twitter.com/ZS1UbDWPNT

— HealthyChildren (@healthychildren) June 13, 2016

The American Academy of Pediatrics has endorsed the new sleep guidelines for kids, which were published online on Monday in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. The range of the new sleep guidelines for each age grouping is wider than before but the sleep guidelines stress that children and teenagers "need substantial amounts of sleep." Dr. Stuart F. Chan of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, another expert in the panel on the new AASM guidelines was quoted in NBC News.

On the other hand, sleep deprivation would eventually take a toll on a kids' health. Dr. Chan cited the dangers of sleep disorder in kids, "sleep apnea is associated with poor school performance, mood and behavior problems, misdiagnosis of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)." And children without getting the following sleep guidelines could even develop heart problems.

The biggest challenge parents face is how to ensure that their children get adequate sleep while following the sleep guidelines. There are many factors surrounding a family's activity or kids' social issues that affect sleep. Experts advise parents to observe kids even if they're following the sleep guidelines for children, but are still sleepy during the day, or sleeping more than what's recommended. Parents should consult their family doctor or a pediatrician for there could be an underlying sleep disorder.