A 1 5 year old child often wakes up at night. Why does a newborn have trouble sleeping at night? How does a baby fall asleep

There are often situations and questions about children who, already at 1.5 years old, refuse to sleep during the day. This, of course, has a bad effect on both the child, because he comes to bed at night overtired, and on the mother, who is left without rest during the day and the opportunity to complete household chores in silence.

Let's figure out why children need nap? Why do babies give up daytime sleep as early as 1.5 years? And what should parents do in this situation?

Until what age is napping necessary?

"Good sleep gives good dream“- we often pronounce this motto in our consultations. This means that a child's good sleep during the day will lead to good sleep at night. Because the baby will not be too tired and stress hormones will not disturb his sleep at night. for kids, to avoid overwork, to give the nervous system a break from the constant flow of information and stimulation. This is why it is so important to maintain daytime sleep for as long as possible.

We recommend maintaining daytime naps until age 4. From 4 to 5 years old, we recommend introducing a mandatory “quiet hour” to give the child the opportunity to rest physically (lie quietly, read) and mentally (from the incoming flow of information).

But the child’s need for daytime sleep can persist for up to school age, this largely depends on the type of his nervous system, temperament, daily routine and load during waking hours.

Despite the fact that children under 4 years old need naps, and most children still have difficulty maintaining wakefulness from morning to evening, some give up naps by the age of 2-3 years.

Why doesn't the child sleep during the day? The main reasons for refusing daytime sleep.

Why is this happening? Here are the main reasons:

1. Violation of principle early regime day. The child woke up too late in the morning and was not tired enough during the time of wakefulness that passed before the time of the expected daytime sleep. The principle of early mode means not only for the night (from 19 to 20:30), but also to get up early (from 6 to 7:30). And in order not to disrupt the daytime sleep schedule, we recommend waking up your baby in the morning if he sleeps longer than 7:30.

2. Overwork. If during the day the child had many vivid impressions, be it experiences that are not always associated with joyful emotions (for example, going to the doctor at the clinic, where the baby burst into tears and was scared), or any positive impressions, for example, going to visit children's play center, to the zoo, then he may become very tired. Overfatigue, in turn, leads to “overexcitation”; the baby, due to the action of the hormone, is no longer physiologically able to fall asleep at the “right” time.

3. Negative experience. It happens that the baby had some kind of negative experience before or during daytime sleep. For example, he was afraid of something while falling asleep or even in the room where he was sleeping (vivid experience, loud sound). At the age of 1.5 years, children can already dream scary dreams. Perhaps the baby was frightened by some image, and since children at this age do not yet differentiate images and fantasies from reality, imagination can interfere with sleep, putting the body in a state of stress. It is recommended to play in the sleeping room, and try not to overload the baby with too vivid impressions, especially before bedtime.

4. Lack of a nap ritual. In order for the baby to adjust to sleep and sleep well, he needs time to adapt. This is especially true in cases where the child walked in the first half of the day before going to bed. Once inside a room from a sunlit street, the body needs some time to adapt to other conditions. In addition, on the street the baby was most likely active - he was walking, he was surrounded by various images and sounds. Getting home, in more calm environment, your baby needs at least 30-40 minutes to slow down and get ready for sleep. Rituals that are repeated throughout the day to induce sleep (closing the curtains, putting on pajamas, reading a book) will help a lot here.

5. New, unusual environment. If the baby finds himself in an environment that is unusual for him (for example, on a hike, at a party, in transport), he may be overexcited and study the environment with interest. Children relax in a familiar, familiar environment, but in an unfamiliar environment it is much more difficult to do this.

6. Inability to fall asleep without certain actions from an adult. If (lying nearby, rocking a little, giving the breast) are the only familiar and constant sleep rituals for the child, falling asleep without these associations will be extremely difficult, because if the mother for some reason (for example, she left home) cannot put the child to sleep , he is actually left without the “only possible help" In order for the baby to understand that he can sleep without his mother’s actions, it is important for him to receive alternative way falling asleep - for example, with dad.

7. The baby is not healthy, he is teething. When a baby needs more help from his mother, falling asleep can be complicated by fever, cough, nasal congestion, toothache. But it is during these periods that sleep during the day is especially important for the child - when the baby sleeps, the body can recover and gain strength.

8. Age crisis. At the age of 1.5-2 years, a child may begin to display negativism associated with testing the boundaries of what is permitted. He already understands a lot and wants to do a lot himself, but at the same time he is still very dependent on his mother, her actions and her help. Therefore, a 1.5-year-old baby is constantly “testing” the boundaries - what will happen if I do this, and what will happen if I do that. Of course, a one and a half year old baby cannot yet consciously build such logical chains; he does it associatively, focusing on his mother’s reaction to his behavior. For example, he did not want to go to bed for a nap, and his mother began to carry him in her arms. He liked being held in his arms, and he “realized” that in order to be held in arms more often, he needed to get out of it rather than go into the crib. Thus, confusion occurs. The mother may think that she is helping the baby, since he will not fall asleep without this, and the baby will not be able to fall asleep peacefully while there is such a wonderful stimulus as mother’s hands. The most effective thing here will be to create boundaries and rules. At the age of 1.5 years you can begin to gradually introduce simple rules(no more than one or two). For example, the rule “wash your hands before eating.” Every time the mother reminds about this and the baby does it, the mother praises him.

One of the rules may be a rule related to sleep, for example, “lay quietly in the crib (or sleep) during the day while mom sat next to you.” Compliance with the rules can be encouraged not only with words, but with some small visualizations (drawn emoticons, stickers), because children at that age do not yet perceive abstract concepts.

How to help a 1.5 year old baby fall asleep for a nap?

1. First of all, it is important to follow a daily routine. Getting up later than 7-8 in the morning can delay daytime sleep and make it difficult to take care of it. It is important to focus on making sure that he does not get overtired, and count how many days he usually sleeps. Normally, at 1.5 years, this is 12.5-13 hours of sleep: 10.5-11 at night and 1.5-2.5 during the day.

2. Don't forget about the rituals of preparing for daytime sleep. Rituals should begin at least 30-40 minutes before bedtime. Pre-nap rituals can be a shortened version of evening rituals (most often without bathing).

3. Create a familiar environment. In order for your baby to sleep better, he needs recognition of the situation. The more familiar he is with the rituals, environment and actions of his parents, their words, their emotions. Therefore, if at some point the family faces a time of change or the baby becomes ill, he active growth tooth, it makes sense to try to make the environment around dreams as stable and predictable as possible for the baby.

4. Teach your baby to fall asleep on his own. During a calm, stable period, it makes sense to teach your baby the skill of both nighttime and daytime sleep, so that he is not dependent on his mother’s actions, but can fall asleep with other family members, as well as fall asleep on his own when waking up.

5. Enter the rules. One of the main points in the problem of refusing daytime sleep is a psychological crisis, expressed in the child testing the rules of what is permitted. At the age of 1.5 years, a child can be read fairy tales and told tales of his own composition, where in a metaphorical form the basic rules of the family are conveyed to him - what is allowed and what is not. Daytime naps can be one such rule that can be discussed and any attempts by the baby to follow it can be encouraged.

According to medical statistics, about 20 percent of children aged one to two years suffer from impaired or decreased quality of daytime and night sleep. And some children similar problem will appear sporadically - no more than 3 times a week. Other babies may wake regularly, which can cause dangerous complications and delay in physiological and mental development. If your 1.5 year old child does not sleep well at night, it is necessary to establish the root cause of this phenomenon and create optimal conditions For falling asleep quickly and restful sleep.

Why do children have to sleep?

Regular wakefulness of a child at night is insomnia. At first glance, such a deviation is completely harmless. But if you dig deeper, it turns out that sleep disorder (insomnia) has the most negative effect on the baby.

Children grow when they sleep. We have all heard of this statement, and it is one hundred percent true. The fact is that somatropin (a natural hormone responsible for the growth of the body) is synthesized and produced during sleep. If the quality of night or daytime rest decreases, this automatically leads to a slowdown in the production of this hormone. The result of this is:

slow intellectual development;
decreased mental abilities;
slowing down of brain function;
delayed responses to questions;
communication problems and so on.

If your child is one and a half years old, regularly wakes up at night and cannot fall asleep for a long time, you should definitely consult a pediatrician. The need for this may be indicated by indirect symptoms in the form of poor appetite in the baby, lethargy, irritability and anxiety. The doctor will help determine the root cause of the problem and tell parents how to act correctly so that the baby gets a better night's sleep.

Possible reasons

The first and most common cause is excessive napping during the day. In the case when daily norm children's sleep is distributed incorrectly, the optimal balance between periods of rest and wakefulness is disrupted. Therefore, having slept well during the day, the child does not need to go to bed after sunset. After all, he feels well rested and full of energy.

Extraneous sounds and too bright light can also lead to difficulty falling asleep. A one-and-a-half-year-old baby’s nervous system continues to actively develop. He reacts very sensitively to any changes in the external environment, including loud sounds or bright light. The child's brain perceives them as a signal to wake up. Therefore, try to eliminate any sources of noise, and instead of bright ceiling lighting, be sure to buy a night light for the children's room.

To ensure that your baby sleeps well at night, he should not be put to bed too late. An excessively prolonged period of wakefulness causes emotional overexcitation. As a result, the nervous system is unable to calm down on its own.

Doctors have found that the deepest and longest stages of sleep occur between 19.00 and 24.00. Therefore, the baby must sleep at least 3 hours before midnight (this is his guarantee good sleep).

If your child takes a long time to fall asleep and then wakes up in the middle of the night, a lack of skill may be to blame. independent sleep. Apparently he was just used to falling asleep with outside help(in the arms of mother or father). It is necessary to teach him to sleep on his own as soon as possible.

What is no regime? This is one of the most common problems that parents of babies face. If the wrong daily diet and sleep schedule is chosen, if the child does not go to bed at the same time, this leads to regular lack of sleep. The regime must be in harmony with circadian rhythms baby. To draw it up, we advise you to contact your pediatrician.

As a purely physiological reasons Teething, colic and other pathologies should be mentioned. Most of them are accompanied by discomfort and frankly painful sensations. Eliminate them, and your baby will sleep more peacefully.

Glycine - as a means to improve sleep

Quite often, pediatric neurologists prescribe glycine. It's about about an amino acid that, when it enters children's body quickly and accurately eliminates the consequences of nervous overexcitation. The principle of glycine is to block neurotransmitters - biologically active chemical substances, which serve to transmit nerve impulses. As a result, the child quickly calms down, feelings of anxiety and excitement disappear.

In addition to its main task, glycine also promotes active oxygenation of the blood. This amino acid does not accumulate in the body, as it breaks down into water and carbon dioxide, which are promptly displayed in a natural way. Glycine is great for newborn babies, one year old baby, as well as older children.

This amino acid is capable of:

quickly eliminate sleep disturbances;
normalize metabolism in the body;
activate brain function;
significantly reduce emotional stress;
improve the memory mechanism;
prevent the appearance of neuroses and other similar pathologies;
Safely cleanse the body of toxins and harmful substances.

The drug is sold at any pharmacy in the form of lozenges. Healthy children without abnormalities need to take one tablet three times a day for 2-4 weeks (the duration of the course is determined by the final results of treatment).

Want to improve your child's sleep? Then listen to the following useful tips.

Another tip is to come up with a so-called “sleepy” ritual that will help you prepare your baby for nighttime sleep. We are talking about an algorithm of actions that are repeated every evening. The ritual puts the child in a calm mood and helps him calm down.

There are no restrictions here, so you can safely experiment. For example, a ritual may consist of the following sequential actions:

calm play with the baby;
bathing in a bath with the addition of sedative herbs;
changing into pajamas;
putting to bed;
fairy tale or lullaby;
falling asleep.

As you can see, nothing complicated. At the same time, the ritual is considered one of the most effective ways quickly calm the baby and put him to sleep.

Teaching your baby to fall asleep and sleep on his own

Doctors advise teaching your baby to sleep on his own, starting at 6 months. But even at one and a half years old it is still not too late to instill such a habit (although the process itself will be more difficult and, perhaps, will be somewhat delayed).

An important condition for falling asleep independently is a strict regimen. If your baby goes to bed at the same time, it becomes much easier for him to fall asleep.

Don't forget that, in addition to sleep patterns, great importance has a feeding schedule. To help your baby sleep through the night, arrange for him good nutrition in sufficient quantity (but do not overfeed). Thus, the feeling of hunger is prevented, and the child sleeps peacefully until the morning.

Special attributes help improve sleep very well. First of all, this soft toy, which the baby associates with sleep. It should not have hard or sharp parts. This toy prevents the baby from feeling lonely. It has a calming effect on him and helps him fall asleep faster.

According to child psychologists, it is best to start forming the habit of sleeping independently during the day. Put your baby in the crib, pet him and talk to him a little so that he relaxes and falls asleep. Sit nearby and give the baby your hand. Do the same thing day after day, but gradually remove your hand and just be nearby so that the child can see you. Then you can increase the distance and be in another corner of the room.

If parental persuasion does not help, and the baby still cannot fall asleep without parental help, you can try the more rigorous Ferber method. According to this technique, you need to put the baby to bed in a separate room, and then immediately leave. Naturally, the baby will cry and be capricious. But don’t rush to go back right away, wait one minute, enter the room and calmly tell him that he needs to go to bed (do not pick up the child in your arms).

Gradually increase the interval and bring it up to 3 minutes. Then try for 5 minutes. Eventually, the baby will stop crying and gradually fall asleep. Mom's return to the room lets the baby know that he is safe, that everything is fine with him, and that he has not been abandoned. Increasing the intervals is necessary so that the child gets used to being alone in the room.

Each baby is individual and unique. The methods that work in one case will not necessarily work in another. Therefore, look for your own approach to children. Then, with your joint efforts, you will be able to speed up falling asleep and improve their sleep.

Doctors, who have received sleep research tools since the mid-20th century, claim that more than half of modern children have sleep problems, and this number is constantly growing in our prosperous “disoriented” times.

What can a mother who is falling over from lack of sleep give her child?

What can a mother who is collapsing from lack of sleep give her child? There is no strength for active educational games, the house is neglected, the tense psychological situation in the family leads to reduction breast milk, the baby does not eat enough, does not get tired during the day and wakes up crying all night, and the next morning everything starts all over again. “Well, he’ll outgrow it! - they convince themselves alone, shifting responsibility for what is happening to the innocent child. “Clear mode! Go to bed and let him scream!” - others bring up forgotten methods of ignoring the child’s condition.

And there are also unscrupulous researchers who claim that women are naturally able to sleep in fits and starts without harm to themselves. Selfish fathers read the comments of scientists, and then sincerely wonder why they are not considered “real” family members: “Did you bring money? There is food on the table, the TV in the hall is free.”

Even the dog, the family pet, supports the exhausted mother with silent sympathy. And the head of the family “according to the state” is supposed to, together with the mother and baby, look for ways out of the situation that has arisen. The baby also feels better and looks healthier when he sleeps safely for the prescribed amount of time. Our task is to eliminate possible ailments and help him master this difficult task.

Why does my child sleep poorly?

What can prevent the baby from sleeping peacefully at this time and giving the mother the opportunity to fully rest for his own good?

“Children’s” problems: your baby turned out to be a “night owl”, which means that it will be late for him to go to bed. You will try in vain to force him to lie down; he, reacting to your irritation and despair, will scream until he wants to sleep.

Unfortunately, biological rhythm the child does not depend on parental attitudes. AND healthy habit getting up early only works in some cases, regardless of the age of those tested. That is, getting up at 6 am and starting to work can get used to, but scientists testify: physiological processes in the body remain inhibited until the “natural” time of awakening.

And if a night owl child goes to parents who are early risers, they will have to find a compromise: active time in the “general” middle of the day, mandatory naps for the mother, quiet games in the morning and evening.

Isn't this combination of interests of all family members similar to the so unloved modern mothers daily regime? Alas, psychologists testify that the first generation of those whom their parents freed from the regime at one time, giving, it would seem, unconditional love, and protection from stress, approached her 20s with a range of behavioral and psychological problems. Life has again confirmed the obvious postulate: it is good in moderation and in place.

“Adult” problems: colic, gas, teething, baby illness, confused day and night - here insomnia is understandable, and the need for help is obvious. But after six months these problems are solved. And after each of these disruptions, family life returns to normal again, taking into account the interests of all its members.

If other dysregulation (changes in muscle tone, increased excitability) is added to sleep disturbances in a child of the first year of life, it is worth consulting a neurologist. In such cases, the diagnosis is sometimes made perinatal lesion nervous system" and appropriate treatment is selected.

But in this case, the doctor will answer the parents’ questions. How to respond to sleep disturbances if the baby is healthy?

I dreamed about something

Often parents are worried about whining or crying in their sleep, or the baby waking up at night. What to do: if you haven’t gone to bed yet, quietly approach, touch, stroke without speaking, and move away again. If the whining wakes you up, you should listen, and if there are no demanding notes in it, it will soon subside. If the baby does wake up, put him to bed in the usual way, without engaging in conversation with him or trying to distract him with play. Your task is not to “calm down” by increasing the load on nervous system crumbs, but give him the opportunity to calm down on his own.

The ability to self-soothe by the age of 1 year already develops in 60-70% of children. With panicky attention and fussy behavior of parents, the skill of self-soothing is artificially delayed, and initially natural awakenings develop into sleep disorders.

Leave passionate hugs and passionate declarations of parental love until the morning. It always only increases the baby’s anxiety - does that mean there is something to save from? Replace it with the belief “You are fine.”

At night, everyone is calm, everyone is fine, everyone is sleeping - this is confirmed by your measured, even breathing, to which the baby will willingly adapt, smooth movements, muted light in a bluish-green tones.

For some, the so-called “white noise”, the sound of a waterfall, the singing of birds helps - sounds that affect the subconscious and indicate that “there is no danger nearby - after all, the birds are singing calmly.” There are many such forgotten “helpers” stored in our genetic memory. However, on particularly stressful days, tea with valerian or motherwort for the mother and a bath with herbs will not harm the child.

Methods for improving baby's sleep

Demand creates supply, and today a whole range of special techniques to promote calm falling asleep and sound sleep healthy babies: this is the Esteville method, and the Ferber method, and “Silent Night”, and even “100 simple ways put the child to sleep" by Svetlana Bernard.

Let us note right away that all of them are recommended only to parents who are confident in the need for such practice for themselves and their child. All of them require a thoughtful approach to application and consideration of the characteristics of your child and family traditions. And none of the methods came without harsh criticism from mothers who were “passionate” about parenting.

Recommendation: Read the suggestions contained in a particular method. Write down on a piece of paper your problems and proposals for solving them that you agree with. Invite your spouse to do the same. Together(!), determine ways to improve sleep that are right for the three of you. And stick to them relentlessly for at least a month or two. After all, fixing something broken is always difficult, and only endurance, patience and reasonable love help here. And may sweet dreams and days full of energy be your reward.

Many parents worry that their child does not sleep well at night. This does not always mean that the baby has nervous disorders or illness. Factors can be different and there are many of them.

Sleep disturbances in early infancy

The period up to six months is the most difficult for both mothers and fathers and their baby. Monthly – two month old baby often due to the physiological characteristics of sleep (sometimes the frequency of waking up repeats every hour). The fact is that the superficial phase of sleep occupies longer time than deep. As a result, your baby can easily wake up at any time.
When breastfeeding a baby overnight, he simply needs on-demand feedings. Because of this, a hungry baby will inevitably wake up. Be sure to pick him up, feed him, rock him to sleep. The baby should feel the parental warmth and calm down. It has been proven that the more regular touches one receives infant, the greater the chance that his vacation will be serene.

Causes of poor sleep in children

The most common reasons why a child sleeps poorly at night and wakes up frequently are:

Colic.

In infancy, restless sleep is often a consequence of colic. Abdominal pain is indicated by frantic bouts of crying, accompanied by arching of the back and pulling of the legs towards the stomach. It is impossible to calm the child down, and the painful expression of the crying face does not give you peace, you are worried and do not know what to do.

Usually the first colic occurs in completely healthy children between 1 and 3 weeks of age and may recur regularly until four months of age. To cope with this problem and help your newborn sleep peacefully at night, you need to find out the cause of colic and try to eliminate it. Go to the doctor. If you are breastfeeding, tell your doctor what you eat (“”). It is possible that substances from some foods get into the milk and irritate the baby's digestive system. The culprit of tummy pain is often intolerance to milk sugar - lactose or milk protein(""). In any case, your local pediatrician will give the necessary practical recommendations, and a nutritionist will help you review the menu and remove “irritant foods” from it.

Teeth are being cut.

From 6-7 months to a year, the most common reasons why a child sleeps poorly at night, tosses and turns, often wakes up and cries is teething. Special measures will help you cope with these reasons. medicines for children.

It is not difficult to understand that teeth are being cut. The timing of the eruption of the first teeth is individual for each child; they may shift slightly from average norm(“When do babies cut their first teeth? How can I help my baby?”). In boys, this process often begins later. There are several signals about teething - redness of the gums is observed, cheeks become hot to the touch, your baby is capricious, cries, cannot sleep, and his salivation increases. The temperature often rises. Keep a special ointment or gel for gums on hand. This remedy will reduce the intensity of pain, heat and cool the child’s disturbed gums. Also try gently applying a finger moistened with cool water to the sore gums.

Fears and worries.

It would seem that after a year of night restless sleep must pass. But it happens that one year old child and older continues to wake up and cry, he sleeps little, the established routine is disrupted. On this age stage The determining factor may be emerging childhood fears. During these years, the child’s first phobias are born due to the actively developing imagination and environmental influences. Try to protect your child from watching overly aggressive cartoons; do not watch films and programs with similar content in front of him. This can be the main source of a child's nightmares. Information flows containing aggression, violence and any kind of negativity should not reach him. The little man’s brain absorbs everything like a sponge and stores it in his consciousness. The result is disturbing dreams.

Emotions.

Huge impact on healthy sleep the child is rendering it emotional condition. If the baby experiences fear or resentment, he will not be able to sleep normally. Therefore, the emotional situation in the family plays a primary role. Even if a newborn is silent, he still feels everything and lets it pass through himself. Be gentle and patient with him, create an atmosphere of calm and comfort for him. Talk to him, read or tell him a story. Every child should feel safe. This is the key not only to his healthy sleep, but also to his further successful development and well-being.

Excessive activity and excitability.

It happens that the child’s nervous system is too mobile, he is too excitable. Due to their sensitivity, such children cannot fall asleep on their own. In this case, the most acceptable way out of the situation would be co-sleeping With mother and father. When you practice falling asleep in your bed, you should take into account that the child will get used to it and for comfort he will need just such an environment, and it will be difficult for him to fall asleep alone. Therefore, try, despite the difficulties and nuances that arise, to accustom him to falling asleep independently. This does not apply to the period from birth to one year, when the baby’s connection with his mother is still very strong and he simply needs to calm down in his mother’s arms, feeling her native warmth and such important feeling security.

Today there are special cribs on sale that can be moved close to the parents’ bed by removing one of the walls of the crib. Before bedtime, give your child a bath warm water and have a relaxing massage with baby oil. Do not arrange active games or activities immediately before bed that can overstimulate the child’s nervous system and prevent him from relaxing.

Sleep disorders and pathologies.

Sometimes children don't sleep well because serious problems with health. For example, due to dysbacteriosis, otitis media, worms or other diseases. In more in rare cases– due to a brain tumor or pathology of the central nervous system. Does your child have restless sleep, does this happen regularly, and sometimes does it seem like he’s not sleeping at all? Be sure to visit a pediatrician who will examine your little one and determine real reasons failures.

External conditions.

Do not forget that for a calm and comfortable night's rest, the child should create favorable conditions. Let your bed linen always be soft and pleasant, sleeping area comfortable, the temperature and humidity in the room are optimal.

Sometimes the child does not fall asleep due to excessive heat. The room in which the child sleeps should always be clean and regularly ventilated. The atmosphere of the room should be calming, cozy, instilling a feeling of security and relaxation.

Wrong mode.

Night sleep disturbances in children are often the result of poor sleep routines. If the child leads a passive lifestyle during the day and you do not create conditions for him to be active, then in the evening he will have difficulty falling asleep and his rest will not be complete. How to put a child to sleep? Wait until he burns off his energy and gets tired.

High activity in the first half of the day and moderate activity in the second have the most favorable effect on the quality of night sleep.

Walking and activity, long games on fresh air. Most children need to spend time to fall asleep in the evening. a large number of energy during the day. Sports and outdoor games come to the rescue.

From birth, teach your child to distinguish the meaning of the time of day. Night is for peace and relaxation, day is for games and wakefulness. Try not to put your baby to bed before dark.

It is difficult for a child to sleep and empty stomach, but even if you overeat, it will be difficult to fall asleep.

Boys and girls after one year should be fed no later than 1.5-2 hours before falling asleep. Infants, as usual, are fed on demand. Developing a consistent activity and eating schedule is not easy, but it is very important. Be patient and everything will get better soon.

What to do?

Psychologists believe that sleep problems in children from birth to three years can be solved by placing the child next to you. Isn't there such a possibility? Then place your baby's crib very close so that he can feel your presence. This way the child will sleep more peacefully.
A large number of psychologists talk about the influence of music on a baby falling asleep. Experts say that he will fall asleep well to the music that his mother listened to during pregnancy. Of course, these should be pleasant soothing melodies. Classical melodic works have a particularly beneficial effect.
For older kids important stage On the way to normalizing rest is the “expulsion” of fears together with mom and dad. Significant role Rituals play a role in this. Place a fairy doll or a magical omnipotent bear in your baby’s crib, which will drive away all the horror stories. Leave a night light on at night.
Seven-year-old children are no less susceptible to stress and anxiety than those under three years of age. They go to school for the first time, their routine changes, responsibilities arise that are subject to evaluation, and they meet new children. School is a completely new environment for any child and it is not only a source of new positive impressions, interests and knowledge, but also a source of stress. A first grader often experiences intense anxiety about homework or relationships with other children. This makes sleep restless; the student cannot fall asleep for a long time. You can and should help your child overcome emerging fears and worries and support him.

At the right approach and correcting the current situation, the result will certainly be, the main thing is patience, and the question of how to put a child to sleep without waking up will disappear by itself! Remember that children grow very quickly!

Why does a child sleep poorly at night and what should be done to normalize his sleep? Detailed explanations of the causes of poor sleep for each age and practical recommendations to help parents.

Future parents are not always prepared for the fact that newborns have completely different sleep phases from adults. The big exception is children who fall asleep in the evening and sleep without waking up all night until the morning.

The overwhelming majority of young mothers are faced with the fact that their babies wake up very often, which is incredibly exhausting for parents. But there is no need to worry that such a dream will negatively affect the child. Frequent waking up is the norm for many children. Be patient - you just need to wait out this time.

Why does a newborn have trouble sleeping at night?

Any person's sleep consists of two cycles - fast and slow. An adult person spends almost the entire night in a deep, slow sleep. REM sleep is characterized by startling, constant turning from side to side - at this time a person is easy to wake up
Babies sleep in the fast cycle and very rarely in the slow cycle. Therefore, all mothers should understand that frequent waking up of the child is not a bad dream, this is the normal development of the little person’s nervous system.
If you still have concerns that something is wrong with your child, then the surest method is to consult a neurologist
Only experienced doctor can identify the problem (if there is one) and prescribe medications. But it’s worth noting right away that the presence of real problems is rare. Each baby’s age has its own characteristics that affect sleep.

Causes of poor sleep in children under 6 months

At your appointment with a neurologist, you will definitely be asked how many hours a day does your baby sleep? There is a generally accepted norm of 18 hours, but 14 hours is also acceptable. Doctors in Russia agree that 16 hours is the norm. It is worth noting that the conversation is not only about night sleep, but also about all daytime sleep.
If your child sleeps less, this is already a cause for concern, because his body does not rest, which can negatively affect general development and well-being
Some babies wake up little until 6 months, and then more often. There is a situation, and vice versa, when babies constantly wake up until they are six months old.

What is this connected with?

The baby is hot/cold – the optimal temperature in the baby’s room is considered to be 19-22 degrees
The baby is hungry - the kids are breastfeeding eat more often than on artificial
The child is not swaddled and wakes himself up with unconscious movements of his arms and legs.
Colic in the tummy - by general rule pass by 3 months
Nasal breathing disorder - infectious diseases, nasal discharge, dry air, anatomical features
Narrowness of the nasal passages - goes away with age, but is sometimes necessary surgical intervention
Vitamin D3 deficiency is especially noticeable in winter period, add a vitamin D supplement to your diet
Feeling of anxiety - the baby has not yet learned to perceive the world the way adults do, so closing his eyes can be associated with anxiety, just be there

Causes of poor sleep in children 7-9 months old

At this age, children begin to actively explore the world around them and learn to crawl in order to independently get to the object of interest. The skill of sitting without support is also developed. All this can even give an unconscious impulse to the brain at night, when the child tries to sit up in his sleep. Your task is to put and calm an overexcited child
Due to increased daily activity, the baby may not receive enough food, as he is constantly distracted. And at night he tries to make up for lost time, constantly waking up. Analyze whether your child eats enough during the day
At this time, acquaintance with new products continues, so mothers should strictly monitor the body’s reaction to complementary foods
Poor sleep may indicate a disorder digestive system or about the occurrence allergic reaction that doesn't let you sleep
Another reason for poor sleep at 7-9 months is painful eruption teeth. Don't wait until the pain will go away yourself, help the baby. Buy a special teething gel that will relieve painful sensations and allow parents to sleep peacefully

Causes of poor sleep in children 10-12 months old

During this period, the child has even more stress on the body, because he learns to get up and walk. It is also important to monitor your diet and avoid malnutrition. Activity increases, emotions overwhelm from your own achievements - it is important to strictly adhere to the daily routine
Also, at 10-12 months, there may be a lack of calcium in the body, and this is what causes poor sleep. Don’t immediately run to the laboratory - take safe drug at the pharmacy and serve as directed. Within a week, sleep returns to normal. By the way, calcium is also needed when absorbing vitamin D3
Another option to improve night sleep- this is to reduce the day. Closer to one year, a child can sleep only 2 times during the day. It is now that the child begins to have dreams, and just like adults, he can see something scary, which causes him to wake up.

Poor sleep in a child under one year old Komarovsky

According to Dr. Komarovsky, healthy sleep for a child means healthy sleep for all family members. And only parents can help their child sleep long and well, devoting enough time to walking, organizing meals, cleaning the premises, and air humidity.

Komarovsky recommends following only 10 rules that will definitely help normalize your child’s sleep:

1. Understand what is most important to your baby loving parents and a healthy family environment, so it is important to set priorities correctly
2. Strictly observe your sleep schedule and do not deviate from the chosen time
3. Decide where and with whom the baby will sleep: alone in a crib in the parents’ bedroom, alone in a crib in the children’s room, or in the same bed with parents
4. Reduce your child's naps if they sleep too much.
5. Try to underfeed at the penultimate feeding and then the child will have a good and satisfying meal before bedtime
6. Spend your time actively during the day, and in the evening play quietly and read books
7. Keep the air temperature in the child’s bedroom 18-20 degrees, and humidity 50-70%
8. Do massage or exercises before the evening bath, then bathe your baby in cool water in a large bath, then dress warmly, feed and put to bed
9. Take the mattress seriously - it should be smooth and dense. Bed linen is made from natural fabrics. Up to two years - no pillows
10. Use a quality diaper

Why does an infant sleep poorly at night and often wake up?

There are many reasons why an infant sleeps restlessly and prevents the whole family from getting enough sleep. Basically all the reasons come down to physiological characteristics development of a small organism and many of them are already described in the article.

In order to exclude serious pathologies, you should consult a neurologist and pediatrician. However, do not try to find a reason where there is none. If all doctors reported normal development baby, then calm down and be patient.

Why does the baby start waking up more often at night?

It happens that the baby slept more or less normally and suddenly began to wake up much more often. With what it can be connected? Let's consider several reasons:
Presence of disease, infection
Teething
Stomach ache
Increased excitability during the day
Too many impressions during the day
Disturbed sleep patterns
A new product has been introduced into the diet

It should also not be ruled out that Bad mood The mother affected the child’s sleep.

Why does a child often wake up at night and cry?

Crying at night is normal and should not be given much importance. Crying - the only way call mom for help. Perhaps the baby is hungry or simply requires communication.
By the way, children who sleep with their mother cry much less when waking up than those who sleep in a separate crib. This is due to the fact that the child knows that just by starting to move, his mother will pay attention to him. Over time, such children generally cry less.

Why does my child sleep restlessly and toss and turn a lot?

If a newborn doesn’t sleep well and toss and turn a lot, just try swaddling him; perhaps his hands are in the way and he wakes himself up
For older children, this nighttime behavior is often associated with stomach pain or teething.
However, it is better to seek help from a neurologist and, if necessary, start giving sedatives

The child sleeps poorly and starts in his sleep

Startles for children under one year of age are normal behavior in a dream. This can happen for several reasons:

Overstimulation during the day
The transition of sleep from one phase to another
Uncontrolled movements of arms and legs
Most often, shuddering appears in the first months of life, and gradually disappears as the child grows older.

Swaddling is especially important in the first months, because the baby involuntarily moves his arms and legs, which is why he can hit or scratch himself. Even if you are one of the mommies who only applies modern methods, it is not recommended to refuse night swaddling. Sometimes even children under one or one and a half years old need to be swaddled, but not completely, but only their arms
Stay with your child for a while after falling asleep. If the baby shudders and wakes up, pet him, sing a song, calm him down.
Don't create stressful situations for a child – an excessive number of guests, too long active games, long journeys. In a word - do not overload the nervous system, do not overwork
Strictly follow the daily routine and create a special procedure before going to bed, repeating it every evening. No matter what happens, don’t deviate from the rule

What should you do if your child has trouble sleeping at night?

Try to analyze and understand what caused the sleep disorder. If you can identify the cause, then it needs to be eliminated. Consider a few situations that may help you:

Perhaps you used to sleep with your baby, but now you’ve decided to put him in a separate crib at night. Then the baby is simply afraid to sleep alone, go back to your previous routine and wait a little longer
Starting from 4 months, a baby may be tormented by teething - purchase a special teething gel, but use it strictly according to the instructions
Babies up to 3 months suffer from colic, try to help: buy the product at the pharmacy, make dill water, apply a warm diaper to your tummy, and if you are breastfeeding, analyze your diet and exclude onions, legumes, cabbage and other foods that can cause colic in your baby
If you slept well in the summer, but began to wake up often in the fall and winter, then try adding a supplement with vitamin D. Perhaps this is what the body lacks
Do you have a strict bedtime routine? For example: a walk, dinner, swimming, dimming the lights and sleeping. Perhaps the usual procedure has been disrupted? Children react sharply to such changes
How is the child feeling? Is there any discharge from the nose, cough, elevated temperature? Children sleep restlessly when they are sick. Consult your pediatrician at the first signs and he will prescribe treatment
Analyze your child’s diet: does he eat enough during the day or does he try to make up for what he doesn’t get at night? Starting from 6 months, babies actively explore the world around them, begin to crawl and get distracted while eating, so come up with your own procedure so that he eats his quota
Perhaps the child is overtired during the day. Try to add soothing herbs to your evening baths and reduce increased activity during the day. Dose emotional impressions and guest visits
Is everything good in your family? Are there frequent conflicts and quarrels? What is mom's emotional state? Behave as calmly as possible with your child, and especially do not swear in front of him. Children feel their mother's condition

A 1.5 year old child does not sleep well at night

A 1.5 year old child is characterized by high activity in daytime, however, try to wisely limit it in the evening.
Just before going to bed, you need to take a good, long walk. If you don’t let your child run around during the day, then by the evening he will be full of energy, and at night he will have trouble sleeping.
We must not forget that the child also dreams, so if he wakes up, calm him down, stroke him and put him back to sleep
At 1.5, the baby constantly puts everything in his mouth, so infection with helminths is possible. If at home in for preventive purposes you need to wash the toys and the floor, then on the street, infection most often occurs in the sandbox
The active activity of worms in the child’s body occurs precisely at night, which prevents him from sleeping
At this age, many children sleep only once a day, so it is advisable to adhere to this regime

Causes of poor sleep in a child 2-4 years old

By the age of two, children already sleep peacefully throughout the night, and only sleep during the day. However, it happens that even during this period the child begins to sleep poorly.
Diagnosing the cause is much easier, since the child can already explain what is bothering him: his stomach hurts, his head hurts, or he dreamed about something. For this age bad dream may only occur if there is obvious discomfort and any pain should be taken seriously as it may indicate serious illnesses. It won't go away on its own
Sleep disturbances at this age are often associated with nervous overexcitation or overwork. If sleep disturbances continue for several days, you should consult a doctor.

Causes of poor sleep in a child 5-7 years old

In this age children's sleep similar to an adult - deeper, less superficial, REM sleep. At 5 years old talk about an excess of emotions or wrong mode already wrong
Of course, children have dreams and may have nightmares, which can cause them to wake up, but if this happens every night, then you should be concerned. Only a competent neurologist can help
Perhaps the dream has become more disturbing due to the fact that the child was moved to his own room and now he is forced to sleep alone. It is important to carry out a calm ritual of reading fairy tales and singing songs every evening. The mother can lie with the baby until he falls asleep. A little patience and the baby will get used to independence

Glycine for poor sleep in a child

Despite the fact that glycine is a common amino acid, there is no need to voluntarily prescribe it to your child. Only a neurologist can tell whether it is needed or not in your case. Speaking about dosages, doctors recommend that children under three years old take 0.5 tablets, and after three years old - 1 tablet 2-3 times a day.
Glycine has a cumulative effect, so it must be taken in a course. However, it begins to act only when absorbed under the tongue, so it is not always effective for children.
They don’t write in the instructions, but many mothers observe a reverse effect in their children after using glycine - excessive activity and overexcitement. Each baby is individual
Children of any age need attentive attention from their parents. If poor sleep is the norm for an infant, then at 4 years old it can signal the presence of a serious illness. Treat everything wisely and listen to yourself. Contact your doctors if you feel the need