• Ensuring our child gets a good night’s sleep is important. I agree that sleep issues like insomnia may start in early childhood and continue into adolescence and adulthood. Kids aged 6 to 13 need 9 to 12 hours of sleep, while toddlers need 11 to 14 hours, including naps, to reduce the risk of mental health problems and behavioral issues.

    While more research is needed, understanding the genetic influence on sleep emphasizes the importance for parents and healthcare providers to recognize and address sleep problems early in a child’s life.

  • This is awesome! Now I know why my sleep has never been particularly good. I’ve always been prone to sleeping late or waking up in the middle of the night throughout my childhood and currently. And, of course, my parents have the same issues. When I become a parent, I’ll definitely make sure to work on good sleep habits for my children early in their life so they have less of a problem.

  • Hi Risa,

    Thanks for this article. Interesting read!

    It’s amazing how something as seemingly simple as sleep can have roots in our genes and as much as we can manage certain things around our kid’s sleep patterns, there’s little we can do about their genetic make-up.

    Your article says that more research is required, but it’s very useful to know this information and be aware that genes may also have an impact. Sometimes it’s easy to get frustrated with the little ones, assuming they are ‘playing up’, or ‘messing around’ when it comes to bedtime and sleep, but this new research suggests they may not have any control over it. It could be something genetic.

    Is there any timeline expected to get more detailed results to know this research is definitive?

    Superb article, and very informative.

    Thanks and all the best.

    Cherie :o)


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