WATCH ABOVE: Erica Diamond tells Camille Ross how many hours children need to sleep to stay healthy
MONTREAL — Are your kids getting enough sleep? Parenthood expert and regular Global Morning News contributor Erica Diamond came on the show Wednesday to explain why children need to get at least 10 to 11 hours of sleep a day.
“We are a sleep deprived nation,” she said, admitting she is strict with herself and her children when it comes to sleep schedules.
“The sleep studies are endless on the importance of sleep and just how little sleep we’re actually getting.”
Diamond says she’s not ashamed to say she goes to bed early.
“I get a good nine hours a night,” she told Global Morning News anchor Camille Ross.
“They make fun of me. I go to sleep at 9:30 at night and I wake up at 6:30. That’s a solid nine hours.”
She points out her kids get to bed by 8:30 p.m. because she’s wary of the serious repercussions from lack of sleep.
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“Mood disorders, lack of concentration, obesity, some even increase risk of death,” she said.
Sleep schedules
Toddlers aged 1-2: Need 11 to 14 hours of sleep
Preschoolers aged 3-5: Typically need 11 to 13 hours
School age children aged 6-13: Need nine to 11 hours
Having a good sleep schedule isn’t crucial just for children.
“Parents think that as their kids get older they need less sleep, but in fact they’re using their brains to maximum capacity and those teens need more sleep than ever,” said Diamond.
As we get older, many people tend to sacrifice sleep in order to do other things, such as homework or going out.
This can continue through the teen years all the way until adulthood.
Are your children getting enough sleep?
Diamond suggests monitoring what time your kids wake up on the weekends to find out if they’re sleep deprived.
If your children are sleeping in late on the weekends she says that means they’re not getting enough sleep during the week so their bodies are trying to compensate.
Diamond suggests the best way to get children into a proper sleep routine is to set a strict bedtime – and stick to it!
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