Sleep is one of the most basic human needs. It is said that we sleep one-third of our lives, so it is worth ensuring that this time is spent comfortably, to the benefit of our health. A popular division in the population is that between “owls” and “larks.” – its premise is that each person has his or her own individual daily rhythm, according to which he or she should function. Sometimes, however, it happens that a child, despite going to bed at an early hour, wakes up too early with crying, after waking up he can no longer fall asleep, and already in the afternoon he tends to be tired and sleepy. This type of situation can be a symptom of health problems and requires observation of the child. When a child gets up too early, it is worth learning about the causes of such a problem and ways to help him sleep more peacefully and comfortably.
Why does a child get up early?
In a young child, sleep takes up most of the day. A preschooler usually sleeps between eleven and thirteen hours, and can also sleep during the day.
A child who wakes up frequently and gets up early may be overtired. In theory, overtiredness should cause an all-nighter and deep sleep, but this is not entirely true. An overtired child may be stressed, have elevated cortisol levels in the blood, which will mean overactivity or hyperactivity – with consequent difficulty sleeping or getting a full night’s sleep.
The most common symptoms of overtiredness include evening agitation, difficulty sleeping, frequent waking of the child, waking up crying while irritable, grimacing during the day, difficulty concentrating or coordinating movement.
Many parents make the assumption that the child should be well tired before bedtime, but this is not at all a good solution, precisely because it can make the toddler overtired. Instead, it’s a good idea to ensure consistent bedtimes, dim the lights as early as two hours before putting the child to bed, and put the child to bed earlier than usual. In turn, once the toddler has slept off and is not overtired, he should start getting up later. However, if the child still gets up too early – we can try to move the time of the first nap and regular activities during the day and then try to put the toddler to bed a little later.
Insomnia in a child
Insomnia in children can have either medical or psychosomatic causes. If sleep problems have appeared suddenly or the child has been getting up early for a short time, then the first step should be to visit a pediatrician and perform basic tests. The cause of insomnia can be vitamin or mineral deficiencies, while sometimes insomnia itself can be a symptom of some disease.
Sleep problems in a child can be triggered by anxiety, difficulties in social relationships (exclusion from a peer group, a traumatic experience), allergies, sleep apnea or overstimulation. When a child spends too much time in front of the TV or smartphone, the risk of sleep problems will be higher. Children should not watch TV immediately before bedtime, and preschoolers should not use a smartphone at all.
A healthy and balanced diet is also important – too much sweets, sugar or caffeine negatively affects the quality of sleep, so certain products should be avoided (sodas), and sweets should be limited and not given to the child before bedtime, or replaced with natural snacks such as fruits, nuts, sugar-free juices or fruit mousses.
It is worth talking to a child psychologist about why your child is getting up early. Observing the toddler’s behavior can give us many clues about the reasons for his getting up too early. W Motylek 3 kindergarten groups are not too large, which promotes the proper development of each child, meeting his needs. In addition to qualified teachers, children also benefit from the help of a psychologist. The specialist can diagnose potential behavioral difficulties in the child and recommend appropriate therapy in cooperation with the parents.
An additional advantage of a full-day stay in the kindergarten is full board for the child – each day five meals consisting of fresh and healthy products: breakfasts and afternoon snacks prepared on site, while lunches are delivered by a proven catering company.
Proven ways to get a good night’s sleep
Whatever the reasons for your child’s early rising, you can use some proven ideas and tips on how to increase the comfort and quality of our kid’s sleep.
It is worth ensuring regular, consistent bedtimes, but also a kind of ritual before bedtime – the child goes to bed at the same hour, after bedtime, and immediately before bedtime mom or dad reads him a story, kisses and cuddles him goodnight. Younger children, who do not yet distinguish between the hours, will know that bathing and watching bedtime herald the arrival of bedtime. It’s worth being consistent in these measures and applying them every day, including on days off.
The child’s room should be well ventilated and darkened before bedtime – this is especially important during the summer season, when the sun rises as early as approx. 4:00 am. Dark blinds or thicker curtains can be used for this purpose.
Also, the crib should be matched to the child’s height and weight – the mattress should not be too soft (so that the child does not sink in it) or too hard, and the quilt and pillow should also be adjusted to the temperature, so in summer light and airy. A customized mattress also has the advantage of preventing postural defects in the child. In addition, in the hot season, you can replace your favorite pajamas with a simple T-shirt and shorts.
A child’s sleep problems are not necessarily caused by illness or poor mental state. If a child goes to bed early enough, he will also get up early. Perhaps his diurnal rhythm makes him a “lark” and he feels best just early in the morning. It is worth watching the behavior and needs of our child, and if there are no other symptoms or deficiencies, he is sleepy – we should have no reason to worry. However, in any situation, you can implement certain behaviors that will make your child get up a little later.
