February 16, 2023 4 min read
I’m going to switch gears a little bit today and address something that I personally feel is often overlooked…
Children’s development..
Not in the sense that we as parents overlook their needs or attention or love etc…
But rather, at times, not provide their growing minds and bodies with the environment or proper foundational processes to optimize their growth and development.
Today I’m going to touch on the ONE critical process that needs focused attention in order to give our children a MASSIVE advantage in all areas of their lives...
And that secret weapon is proper sleep.
Adequate sleep and recovery is an essential complement of a child’s growth and development for health, wellbeing, physical attributes and academic success.
Unfortunately, many children do not get enough sleep, which can have a negative impact on their physical and mental development.
I’m going to briefly touch on the positive effects adequate sleep has on multiple areas of development and in later blogs, I will go into greater detail on each.
For our children, sleep plays an incredibly critical role in the proper development of their brains. Consolidating memories, processing information, building neural pathways, and improving attention and learning capabilities.
It has been shown that children who get adequate sleep tend to perform better in school due to having higher memory retention capabilities, higher levels of alertness, and are more able to remain attentive and focused during class!
So getting our children the proper rest they need will certainly enhance their academic performance and set them on a path to a bright academic future!
Any of us who are parents know that our kids have an amazing ability to switch moods like a light switch!😬
But the quality and quantity of their sleep may be a key contributor to how many personalities our child has during a given amount of time😂
Children who are sleep deprived tend to be much more irritable and have a more difficult time regulating their emotions are more prone to tantrums or emotional outbursts.
We’ve all been there!
On the flip side, children who DO get enough sleep are much more resilient to stress and have an enhanced ability to develop positive coping mechanisms that enable them to manage their emotions and remain more emotionally stable in situations that would irritate them if sleep deprived.
In my estimation, that’s a WIN for everyone!
This is a big one.
Sleep is absolutely essential in the developing and functionality of their young bodies.
This is when their bodies repair and rejuvenate and the majority of their growth hormones are active.
Children who get enough sleep tend to have better physical health, a stronger immune system, more energy, and an increase in appetite (necessary for growth and should be satisfied with nutritious foods).
In addition, research shows they are less likely to have problems with obesity, can have better motor skills for physical activity and athletic performance, and less prone to accidents (which we all fear 😨)!
In short, sleep is the foundation for our child’s physical development and resilience now and later in life!
These two go hand in hand with the emotional regulation discussed earlier.
Being better able to regulate emotions tends to lend itself in a positive manner towards building relationships, interacting with others, improving communication with others, and developing more confidence in social situations.
Also, it’s been shown that children who do not get enough sleep are much more likely to develop symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
Regulating their emotions in a healthy and productive manner may lessen the risks of developing these mental health problems and contribute to a more balanced and stable mental state!
As a parent, especially with all of the hyper stimulation our kids are exposed to along with societal and social pressures we didn’t have when we were growing up, is of paramount importance to me.
In conclusion, Sleep is fundamental to every process of development for our children.
From mental and physical health to social skills and academic performance, sleep is crucial to every aspect of their growing selves.
As parents and caregivers, I feel it is our DUTY to ensure our children get enough rest to build their minds and bodies to prepare for a rapidly changing and competitive world.
It is also why I developed Sleep Remedy Kids. An all natural, delicious sleep supplement drink specifically designed for our children to have the proper and adequate rest they need in order to grow into their FULL POTENTIAL!
For a limited time,you can use code 40KIDS at checkout to receive Sleep Remedy Kids for 40% OFF with a full 110% money back guarantee!!!
I want to do this because our children are quite literally our future and I am committed to doing my part to give our children every advantage I can to increase their likelihood of success and health!
Here’s to building the next generation strong and able…
Kirk Parsley, M.D.