How much should children sleep, and why? Doctors explain

Well-rested kids play, learn and feel better, goes a popular quote on parenting, emphasising its importance in their growth. In the age of umpteen distractions, parents say it's often tough to convince children of the same and fix them a proper bedtime and wake-up schedule. However, doctors say if proper sleep hygiene is not established, it can even affect children's brain development. Dr Chikku Mathew, Consultant Psychiatrist, and Dr Sunu John, Senior Consultant Paediatrician, Caritas Hospital, Kottayam, explain. 

How much should children sleep?
According to Dr Sunu, here's the adequate amount of sleep for children of various ages.
Newborn babies - Up to 18 hours
A few months old - 12 to 16 hours
1-year-old babies - 10 to 12 hours
2- to 5-year-old children - 8 to 9 hours
Older children - 8 hours

Why enough sleep matters
Dr Chikku explains that the right amount of sleep is crucial for children of various ages as it ensures proper growth and brain power. She says, "There are two primary types of sleep - NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) sleep and REM(Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. A good amount of NREM sleep is required to store what they studied in their memory. The REM sleep phase helps add new knowledge and skills to existing memories. A child who sleeps late, often do not get enough REM sleep." NREM sleep is the phase when the body repairs tissues, physically recovers and builds muscles. The REM stage is the one where the brain processes emotions, locks memories and improves concentration. 

How to improve sleep hygiene?
The doctors suggest the following tips to establish sleep hygiene in children:
a) Use the bed only for sleeping. Avoid using it to read, play and do other activities. Let the brain associate the bed only with sleeping. 
b) Fix a time for sleeping and for waking up.
c) Do not have tea, coffee or beverages like cola around sleep time.
d) Do not allow screentime (time to check mobile devices) around sleep time.
e) If kids find it tough to sleep, set up a sleep-time routine, with activities like storytelling or reading.