Sleep. It seems so obvious, until suddenly it’s gone. 

When your child sleeps poorly, you quickly realize the impact it has on your entire family. You become more tired, have less patience, and even the smallest things can feel overwhelming. And your child? They become overstimulated, struggle to learn new things, and are often tearful or restless.

Sleep is much more than just a quick rest. It’s a basic need, just like eating and drinking. During sleep, the body recovers, the brain processes all the day’s impressions, and children make enormous developmental leaps, both physically and mentally.

In this blog post, you’ll read why sleep is so important for your child’s development, what happens during sleep, the consequences of a structural lack of sleep, and I’ll give you three practical tips you can start using today.

What actually happens during sleep?

Many people think that sleep is a kind of “off switch” for the body and brain. A moment of complete silence, a brief pause. But that’s not true. Sleep is anything but passive. In fact, during sleep, the body is actively recovering, growing, processing, and developing. Especially with young children, all sorts of things are happening behind the scenes as soon as they fall asleep.

So sleep is not just a moment of rest, but also an active process in which the body and brain work hard to recover, grow and learn.

Brain Development and Memory:

During sleep, children process all the day’s impressions and stimuli. Everything they’ve learned, from a new sound to a motor skill like sitting, crawling, or standing, is stored in their memory during sleep. Children learn during the day, but consolidate that knowledge at night. If this processing isn’t sufficient, you often see children become frustrated more quickly, for example, because something they managed yesterday suddenly seems forgotten.

That’s why sleep is such a crucial link in their development. For example, if a child is learning to pull themselves up or walk, they won’t truly master that skill until their body gets enough rest to properly process the motor skills.

Physical recovery and growth:

Then there’s the physical aspect. During deep sleep (known as non-REM sleep), growth hormones are produced. These are necessary for, you guessed it, growth. But also for repairing the body, creating new cells, and strengthening bones and muscles.

For young children, who grow and develop at a rapid pace, this phase of sleep is therefore essential. A child who doesn’t get enough sleep literally gets less opportunity to grow.

Emotional Processing:

Besides physical recovery and memory processing, sleep also helps with emotional processing. All the day’s impressions, from happy moments to frustrations and tensions, are filtered and processed during sleep. This is important for a child’s emotional balance. If this processing doesn’t happen properly, you see that children become overstimulated or disoriented more quickly during the day. They then have more difficulty coping with frustration or become angry or sad more quickly over small things.

You might recognize this: your child is suddenly more irritable during the day, gets upset more easily, or seems to bump into everything. This is often a sign that their sleep wasn’t optimal, or that the quality of their sleep was poor.

Immunity and Health:

What many parents don’t realize is that the immune system also  runs at full speed during sleep. At night, white blood cells are produced, among other things, the body’s “soldiers” that fight pathogens. Children who don’t get enough sleep are therefore often more susceptible to colds, ear infections, and other infections. A good night’s sleep literally boosts their immune system.

Hormone balance:

Finally, something perhaps less well-known: sleep plays a role in the balance of hormones that influence hunger and satiety. Children who don’t get enough sleep often respond less effectively to their hunger or, conversely, reach for carbohydrates and sugars more often. The body enters a kind of “stress mode” and tries to extract energy from quick fuel. This is also seen in adults, by the way.

Practical tips to improve your baby’s sleep.

If your baby sleeps restlessly, it can feel like you’ve tried everything. However, there are a few simple, yet basic principles that really help, and which are often underestimated. Sometimes the secret lies not in big changes, but in small adjustments applied consistently. Below, I share three practical tips you can start using today to improve your baby’s sleep.

 

1. Create a pleasant and restful sleep environment.
   A calm, low-stimulus environment is the foundation for good sleep. Make sure your child’s room is dark—really dark! Outside light, such as streetlights or the rising sun, can disrupt the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone). A good blackout curtain can make a big difference.

   The room temperature also plays a significant role. The ideal bedroom temperature is around 18 degrees Celsius. Not too hot, not too cold. Choose a comfortable sleeping bag that’s appropriate for the season so your little one feels safe and secure.

   And then: rest. Remove distractions from the bed, such as toys or bright colors. You can also use white noise as background noise to dampen sudden ambient sounds. This creates a sense of security and helps some children sleep more peacefully.

2. A consistent bedtime routine works wonders.
   You might think,  “Yeah, Sanne, I know that by now.” But routines are so important, precisely because they provide predictability. And predictability creates peace.

   A good bedtime routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Think of a bath, putting on pajamas, brushing teeth, reading a book, and singing a lullaby together. Do this in the same order every night and at about the same time. This way, your baby knows exactly what’s coming and their body has a chance to prepare for sleep.

3. Wait a moment before you intervene immediately
   This is one that sometimes goes against your instincts, but it often pays to wait just a little while if your baby wakes up during the night.

   Waking up between sleep cycles is normal, even for adults. Babies and young children can often fall back asleep on their own, given the chance. By reacting immediately, you could inadvertently disrupt your child’s transition, making it harder for them to fall back asleep.

   Of course, that doesn’t mean you should always let your baby cry it out. Trust your instincts: if the crying persists or you sense your baby really needs you, comfort is crucial. But by occasionally waiting a moment, you give your baby the space to calm down on their own, and that’s a valuable sleep skill for the future.

    

With the right approach, you can really make a difference. By creating a comfortable sleep environment, a consistent routine, and gradually helping your child fall asleep (again) on their own, you’ll lay the foundation for a more peaceful home. And don’t forget: every step you take, no matter how small, is a step forward 🙂

Want to delve deeper into this and really start improving your child’s sleep? In my online course,  ” From Night Owl to Sleeper,”  I’ll walk you through the steps of how to help your child sleep better (and through the night) in a loving and achievable way.

Because everyone deserves a good night’s sleep. You too.

Love, Sanne

 

Sanne Vermijs is the founder of Slaap Circus located in Belgium. You can follow her on Facebook and Instagram.