If the mother does not sleep, the children also rest badly

According to a study, there is a direct relationship between maternal insomnia and sleep problems in children.

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), only 68.4% of children between 1 and 14 years sleep adequately, with a higher percentage in Northern Italy (72.9%) than in the South (62.8%) and generally lower between 10 and 13 years (51.7%).

These are the conclusions of the Project “We like to dream” conducted by the Italian Society of Preventive and Social Paediatrics (SIPPS) and the Italian Society of Pediatric Primary Care (SICuPP).

The data that emerged also highlight some incorrect behaviors, such as falling asleep in the Latvian for the little ones and the use of television and video games to facilitate sleep.

Among the various responsible factors, however, is also the model transmitted by adults. This is what is shown by a Swiss study, conducted on about 200 school-age children and recently published in the journal Sleep Medicine: the researchers, thanks to the execution of a nocturnal electroencephalogram at home and the results of the questionnaires administered to parents, have found a direct relationship between maternal insomnia and sleep problems in children, in particular resistance at bedtime, manifestations of anxiety and nocturnal awakenings.

Translated into practice, it could be said that often the insomnia of children mirrors – and does not determine – that of their parents.

A multiplicity of factors

This research gives us some food for thought, but the scenario is certainly more complex. In children’s behavior, various factors come into play, not always easily identifiable.

It is intuitive to think that children tend to imitate and make their own the lifestyles of their parents, who see, from the earliest periods of life, as a direct reference.

Even moods, especially anxiety, are transmitted and amplified: many behaviors of infants, for example, are influenced by the presence of conflict between parents, even if duly controlled.

Practical experience, then, teaches how a mother who is too apprehensive can instill a sense of insecurity in her child and, in some areas, such as nutrition, also produce damage, causing him to eat more to support her or vice versa to refuse food.

Then there are environmental conditioning: a sleepless parent, who gets up at night and turns on the light and the television, for example, can cause disturbance. As well as its irritability, inevitable consequence of a fragmented and non-restorative sleep, will affect the serenity of the whole family.

The importance of sleep

It has been shown how fundamental sleep is in developmental age; In fact, it must occupy a good number of hours throughout the day (14-18 hours up to 12 months, 12-14 in preschool, 10-12 during elementary school, 8-10 in adolescents) because it is the time when new nerve connections are formed and growth hormone is released.

Given the data obtained, parents should be the first to check whether the quality of their night’s rest is acceptable and respect good sleep hygiene rules (regularity of the rhythms of the day, correct splitting of meals, preparation of an adequate home environment, etc.).

The pediatrician is an important reference and can offer valuable support not only to deal with children’s disorders, but also to help parents correct incorrect habits and prevent their problems from affecting their children.