Blog Posts 1–5, based on the United States of America Department of the Army Field Manual: Holistic Healing and Fitness, describe what really matters for your child’s sleep. If sleep is an important enough topic for national defense than surely sleep should be considered a serious topic for parenting!
https://marcweissbluth.com/226-sleep-loss-produces-emotional-behavioral-problemsA healthy baby needs a healthy brain,
A healthy brain needs healthy sleep.
If you accept circadian rhythms, you and your child will win.
Most parents are not aware of the benefits of healthy sleep for their child (Blog Post 38). Many child sleep researchers (Blog Posts 75, 109, 129–130, 145, 182) and pediatricians are also unaware of the importance of early bedtimes. Early bedtimes in synch with circadian sleep rhythms produce high quality sleep (long sleep duration, Blog Post 225, and consolidated sleep). High quality sleep better stimulates brain development. As a result, your baby will become more intelligent, athletic and creative and be less likely to develop emotional or behavioral problems and mental health problems when older. Just as you would not withhold food when your baby is hungry, please do not withhold sleep when drowsy. Here are some specific benefits associated with healthy sleep; your child will:
Be happier (Blog Post 79).
Have a better memory (Blog Post 118).
Be more intelligent (Blog Posts 121, 193).
Be more creative (Blog Post 141)
Be more athletic (Blog Post 224).
Be taller (Blog Post 23).
Have an easier temperament (Blog Post 48).
Have enhanced neurodevelopment (Blog Posts 126, 198–200).
Less likely have emotional or behavioral problems (Blog Posts 75–76, 217–218, 226).
Less likely have mental health problems (Blog Posts 99–100, 108) and psychosis (Blog Post 235)
Also, parents will have a stronger marriage (Blog Posts 116,117, 134) and mothers will sleep better (Blog Post 208), feel more positive toward their infant and have a higher quality of life (Blog Post 203).
Hi,
My daughter is 25 months old. Generally been a good sleeper overall. For months now she has been waking up at 5AM – 515AM. Hoping to find a way for an extra hour of sleep in the morning.
Wakes: 5-515AM
Breakfast: 630AM
Nap: 12-2PM
Lunch: 215PM
Dinner: 545PM
Playtime: 6-7PM (generally plays by herself for most of this and is very happy)
Bath, Book, Bed: 7-730PM
Asleep: 730PM
For naps and sleep we read a book and she asks to be put in crib and goes to sleep on her own everytime.
Pre bedtime 6-7PM she always plays well usually by herself for most of it.
Bedtime routine is approximately 7-730PM same routine every night. Bedtime does fluctuate sometimes she goes to bed at 7PM and sometimes 745PM but approximately 730PM every night.
She is still getting 2 hours nap sleep and almost 10 hours at night so 11.5 – 12 hours daily sleep.
Should we be putting her to bed earlier? Should we shorten her nap and wake her up after 1-1.5 hour and hope she uses that at night time sleep?
Thanks for any help.