At 5 Little Monkeys, our mission is to help kids everywhere experience the power of truly restful, healthy sleep. And besides offering one of the world's best mattresses for kids, we strive to make that happen by being a comprehensive resource for parents on all things in the world of kid's sleep. Unfortunately, sleep problems are common for children, and many parents aren't sure how to fix them. But it turns out that the first place to look for solutions to your child's sleep hygiene may be your own!
The Link Between Your Sleep and Your Child's
The problem here isn't necessarily that a parent sleeping poorly will cause a child to also sleep poorly. In fact, the problem isn't even one of sleep, per se: the problem is perception. In a new study from the University Hospital of Turku in Finland, researchers found that parents' perceptions of their children's sleep was greatly impacted by their own sleep quality.
In the study, researchers had children aged 2-6 use a device called an actigraph to measure their sleep quality each night for a week.They also asked the parents to keep a sleep journal to track their own sleep as well as their children's. What they found is surprising: parents who self-reported that they slept poorly often reported that their children also slept poorly, even when the actigraph showed that the children slept just fine. The conclusion here is that parents who sleep poorly often project their own sleep quality onto their children, believing their children to be sleeping poorly, even when that is not not the case. While there may be many reasons for this, it's likely that parents who are sleeping poorly are more sensitive to noises or disruptions coming from their child, even when those noices may not represent a sleep problem.
Try a Mattress Specifically Made for Kids
Falsely believing that a child has poor sleep quality can result in a range of problems. This can cause parents to inadvertently prevent their children from developing healthy sleep habits on their own. So next time your child seems to be having a hard time sleeping, it may be wise to check in with your own sleep hygiene first to see if something is amiss. That said, it's still important to ensure your child has everything they need for healthy sleep – including a mattress and pillow designed for children's growing bodies. 5 Little Monkeys was designed for just that reason. All of our mattresses use organic materials and CertiPUR-US certified foam so you can rest easy your child is not exposed to toxins.