A study from the Center for Child Development at Harvard University found that the human brain develops most rapidly in the first few years after birth, especially before the age of three. The brain can form over 1 million neural connections per second, and brain weight can reach about 80% of that of an adult.
The younger the child, the longer they sleep each day, especially newborns under one year old, who may sleep for about 16-20 hours per day.
One of the main reasons why children can sleep so much is that adequate sleep helps the neurons in the brain to connect better, laying the foundation for intellectual development.
Therefore, if you have a child between the ages of 0-3, pay attention to their sleep patterns and create a conducive sleep environment to improve their IQ through quality sleep.
Three signs your child is getting a good night’s sleep and developing a high IQ
If your child exhibits the following three signs during sleep, it indicates a great sleep quality and cognitive development.
Falls asleep easily
Data from the “White Paper on Sleep for Chinese Adolescents and Children” shows that for adults, being unable to fall asleep in over 30 minutes is considered insomnia. For children, the sleep time should be less than 20 minutes. If they still can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, it is considered difficult to fall asleep.
We all know that for a computer to function properly, it needs rest, and its memory needs to be cleared and its capacity optimized.
Sleep for the human brain is like turning a computer on and off. It helps the brain complete the process of “memory cleaning,” making neural connections more stable and removing obstacles for intellectual development.
If a child takes more than 20 minutes to fall asleep, it means their brain struggles to switch to an efficient “cleaning and repairing” mode at the optimal time. It fails to initiate the “self-upgrading” process during deep sleep promptly, causing a delay in the consolidation and arrangement of neural connections, which is detrimental to cognitive development.
On the other hand, if a child falls asleep as soon as they lie down, it means their brain can promptly enter the “trash removal” state, allowing more time for neural connections to form, and their intelligence will naturally flourish.
Maintains the same sleeping position for extended periods
Researchers at the University of Lübeck in Germany conducted an experiment where they asked children to learn a set of new words and then observed their sleeping habits.
The results showed that children who slept longer and deeper had 20%-30% better recall of the words the next day compared to those who slept for shorter periods.
It is evident that sufficient sleep significantly impacts children’s cognitive development and learning abilities.
Scientists have discovered that during deep sleep, the hippocampus in the brain integrates and consolidates the day’s learnings, forming long-term memory. This process is vital for children’s learning and cognitive development.
If a child falls asleep as soon as they lie down, it means their brain can promptly enter the “trash removal” state.
Additionally, during deep sleep, the brain performs a series of physiological activities, such as neural regeneration, synapse formation, and pruning, which are essential for brain development and function.
When our bodies enter deep sleep, we conserve energy and initiate self-repair, reducing unnecessary activities and maintaining stable breathing and bodily functions.
Therefore, if a child maintains the same sleeping position for extended periods, with relaxed muscles and regular breathing patterns, it indicates a high-quality sleep. Their brain is in a deep sleep state, facilitating rapid cognitive development.
Wakes up in a good mood without crankiness
We all know that when we don’t get enough sleep or have poor sleep quality, we tend to be grumpy and irritable.
The reason is that sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality can disrupt the body’s hormonal balance, particularly increasing stress hormones (such as norepinephrine and adrenaline), making people more prone to anger and irritability.
Therefore, if a child frequently wakes up in a cranky mood, it indicates poor sleep quality or insufficient sleep.
On the other hand, if a child wakes up feeling energetic and cheerful, it means they had a good night’s sleep. Their brain has rested and recovered during sleep, and the normal and balanced secretion of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, helps maintain emotional stability.
Additionally, the brain effectively eliminates metabolic waste during sleep, further optimizing and strengthening neural connections. This positive impact on brain development enhances their learning abilities and promotes positive behavioral changes.
It’s like an electric car that, after a full night of “charging,” has a full fuel tank and a well-functioning engine, allowing us to tackle the new day with renewed energy.
How to improve your child’s sleep quality
Today, with social progress and economic development, there is no significant gap in access to education, nutrition, and exercise.
Children from 0-3 years old spend more than half of their time sleeping. Therefore, if you want to enhance their intelligence, it’s crucial to improve sleep quality. Here are three tips to help your child improve their sleep quality.
Create a suitable sleep environment
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends a quiet, dark, and cool sleep environment to help infants improve sleep quality.
When your child is sleeping, draw the curtains to block out light and use a white noise machine to play gentle wind and rain sounds to mask external noises.
Maintain a room temperature of 20-22 degrees Celsius, avoiding extremes, and keep the humidity level around 50%-60%.
Such an environment is comfortable and conducive to deep sleep, particularly beneficial for brain development.
Create a suitable sleep environment.
Maintain a consistent routine
According to China’s “Hygiene Guidelines for Children’s Sleep from 0 to 5 Years Old,” maintaining a regular work and rest schedule can improve children’s sleep quality.
For children aged 0-3, sleep time will gradually decrease as they get older, so it’s essential to arrange their sleep and rest times appropriately for their age.
Additionally, establish a fixed bedtime and wake-up routine to set a high-quality biological clock.
Pay attention to pre-bedtime diet and activities
The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK advises against over-exciting or overfeeding children before bedtime, as this can impact sleep quality.
Avoid sugary and fatty foods 1-2 hours before bedtime. Instead, offer your child a moderate amount of warm milk and a light dinner.
Create a pre-bedtime routine, such as reading books or listening to soothing music with your child. Also, steer clear of vigorous exercise and stimulating games before sleep.
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