Many experts have pointed out how important it is for kids to start and maintain a healthy diet and adequate exercise at a young age. Yes, we all know that diet and exercise are certainly important for physical health, and the benefits that come it. But what about sleep? Sleep is an area that has been very much neglected by many experts but is also extremely important for your child, especially for his or her athletic performance. Adequate amount of sleep is essential for your child’s performance to be at its peak and research has shown that a lack of sleep can cause them to perform sub optimally. In this article, we will share with you exactly how important sleep is and how much sleep can impact your child’s athletic performance.

How to Know If your Child is Sleeping Well?

To know if your child is sleeping well, here are three main factors you can look at to evaluate your child’s sleep:

First is the sleep length. Is your child getting the optimal number of hours of sleep needed per night? Experts say that children between the ages of 6 and 12 will need around 9 to 12 hours of sleep each day. Whereas, teens between the ages of 13 and 18 will need at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep each day. To fulfil these sleep needs, your child can opt between a combination of overnight sleep and midday naps, or just overnight sleep itself. Second would be the sleep quality. Check to see if your child is dealing with any form of sleep disturbances such as sleep fragmentation, disturbances in the environment or sleep disorders. Lastly would be the sleep phase. Make sure that the timing of her sleep is in line with the circadian rhythm because this will lead to the most restorative sleep.

How does Sleep Optimize Sports Performance?

Research has shown that the first four hours of sleep are dominated by physical recovery whereas the last four hours of sleep are dominated by mental recovery. By ensuring that your child receive optimal sleep length, quality and phase can improve your child athlete’s ability to train. This will lead to increased performance results as well as overall body recovery. These three components of your child’s sleep are not constant and will change over time as he or she ages. As their bodies grow and when the training demands intensify, a new evaluation of their sleep needs will be required. This can support athletes to achieve their training goals, increase body’s resistance to illness and fasten recovery from injuries.

As important as it is to sleep, regular exercise is needed as well to maintain your child athlete’s sports performance. Choose Fitness Kid as your indoor playground partner. Contact us to learn more about our products and the services that we offer. Our testimonials from loyal customers will prove why we are the best at what we do.