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 Parents will tell you there are few things worse than a child who needs sleep. With the back-to-school season in full swing, many parents are battling the bedtime routine again, a source of frustration for many families. A new report and parent guide “Green Time for Sleep Time” from the National Wildlife Federation says between racing around on tight schedules and staring at electronic media for hours a day, a majority of kids are sleep deprived.
According to the report, lack of playtime outdoors is a big part of the problem. Today’s indoor kids are over-stimulated by television, handheld games and other electronic devices. To get a good night’s sleep they need: natural sleep-inducing light during the day; the soothing effects of more natural, outdoor scenes; and enhanced exercise from outdoor play.
Cooper Monroe, founder of “The Motherhood.com” web community, says “when kids are sleep deprived there is less peace in day-to-day family dynamics. When a family spends time playing outdoors it almost always means a good night’s sleep – for everyone.”
In addition to the bedtime routine being a struggle, many parents are surprised to learn that their children actually suffer from sleep deprivation—as much as two hours a day. Some reasons are obvious: busy schedules, too much homework and an addiction to electronic media. But according to NWF’s Guide, one reason for this chronic problem is relatively new: A nearly complete lack of regular outdoor playtime.
Because today’s childhood is largely spent indoors, kids aren’t getting enough exposure to natural daylight, playing video games and using other electronic media, lack exposure to nature’s calming and restorative powers, and don’t get enough exercise that outdoor play provides. These are all deterrents to a good night’s sleep.
The Parent Guide says building some outdoor time into a child’s daily routine will help overcome these impediments and provide the physical, emotional and cognitive benefits derived from sleeping well.
“While there is no single solution to childhood sleep deprivation, part of having a child who is well rested involves trading some “screen time” for “green time,” said Kevin Coyle, NWF VP of Education and Training. “More playtime in natural settings can help kids get a high-quality night’s sleep.”
Sleeping well can mean a child that is less cranky, can concentrate better, and is calmer and more productive. NWF’s Guide provides these helpful tips for ensuring a better night’s sleep through more exposure to the outdoors and nature:
- Build outdoor time into the mindset—think opportunistically with occasional walks to school or the school bus stop, help with home gardening projects, walking the dog, any small convenient outing. Even a small dose of nature, exercise and natural light will enhance sound sleep.
- Be a proponent of school recess—many schools are eliminating this value part of the school day.
- Encourage day-care providers to build daily outdoor time into the schedule.
- Arrange to rotate with other parents as an after-school outdoor play supervisor on the block or in the neighborhood. This can eliminate the fear of stranger danger.
- Create natural playscapes in the backyard with bird feeders, a garden, safe outdoor play equipment and toys.
- Schedule weekend outings if weekdays are too crammed with work, sport practices, dance lessons or tutoring sessions.
- Find “natural places” to visit in your community on NWF’s NatureFind web site, www.nwf.org/naturefind
- Explore fun outdoor activities thru NWF’s Activity Finder and Be Out There website, www.beoutthere.org
- Plan an outdoor adventure like a nature hike, canoe trip or a backyard campout
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