How lack of sleep can harm your baby

Sleep is just as important as nutrition or exercise. While one sleeps, the body repackages neurotransmitters, chemicals that enables brain cells to communicate. However beyond that, it goes without that saying that proper sleep goes a long way in ensuring you are healthy. One of the biggest benefits of sleep include more energy during the day. Sleep should thus be a very vital part of anyone’s routine, especially to a child. There are many advantages to ensuring your child gets enough sleep but what exactly happens when your child does not get enough sleep. Below are some of the ways lack of sleep can harm your baby.

It can manifest emotional disorders

A report on Science Daily recently published their findings on the relationship between sleep and mental health in children. According to their findings, with just two nights of poor sleep children derived less pleasure in things they loved.

They additionally found it difficult to recall details in positive memories and experiences. If not curbed, this could easily snowball into emotional disorders such as depression and ADHD – a clear indication of how lack of sleep can harm a child.

It raises the chance of having an obese child

Lack of sleep affects metabolic processes in the body. Children who are sleep-deprived thus gain weight as a result of an energy imbalance. This imbalance is brought about by the changes in hormones such as insulin, cortisol and growth hormone among others. As a result, these babies gradually gain weight and can easily become obese by the age of 3.

Slower cognitive development

Sleep plays a vital role in how the child’s brain matures. As mentioned above the brain is constantly repackaging neurotransmitters during sleep. These neurotransmitters are important for proper mental development and in learning processes. If a child therefore doesn’t get the proper amount of required sleep their cognitive development is likely to be slowed down.

Also Read; Developing your baby’s sleep pattern