Parenting brings many joys, but sleep deprivation is not one of them. So, it's no wonder that moms and dads are willing to take some drastic measures — in the form of sleep medications — when it comes to getting their kids to sleep at night.
New survey results From a sleep doctor It reveals that 79% of parents have given their children a sleep aid, with 66% using melatonin, 35% using Benadryl, and 20% turning to prescription sleep aids. Others have reported using everything from herbs and over-the-counter aids to CBD, THC, and even alcohol.
Millennial and Gen Z parents were the most likely to put their children to sleep, with 84% and 83% respectively saying they had done so.
“Parents are desperate, they're tired, they're doing so many things…and a child who has trouble sleeping piles on that,” the doctor says. Nelong Vyasa pediatrician, public health specialist, and board-certified sleep expert who works closely with the sleep physician, conducted the survey of 1,201 parents in April.
Children need sleep for physical and mental health, as research has shown that sleep plays an important role in brain development, mood, cognitive performance, flexibility, language and memory, according to Sleep Foundation. Parents need sleep for many of the same reasons, including mood, brain performance, immunity, and a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. Recent studyTo avoid high levels of stress.
As a rule, parents miss vital rest when their children don't nap — and 25 to 50 percent of children (40 percent of teens) are affected by sleep problems like sleep apnea and night terrors, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. while insomnia It affects 25% of children and 35% of adolescents.
However, says Vyas luck“It is best to change and modify (bedtime) behaviors so that the child can learn to sleep independently, without the need for supplements.”
But isn't melatonin safe?
Melatonin, A Hormone Produced by the brain in response to darkness, it regulates the body's natural sleep A cycle called the circadian rhythm. It is sold as a supplement not regulated by the FDA, often in the form of colorful gummies, and when taken by children, has potential side effects including drowsiness, headaches, and increased bed-wetting.
Eating too much can cause vomiting, extreme drowsiness, and difficulty speaking. And according to A Recent report From the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Here's Why About 11,000 children (more than half between 3 and 5 years old) will go to the emergency room after taking melatonin without supervision between 2019 and 2022.
Furthermore, an evaluation of 25 types of gummy melatonin supplements was published by the Cambridge Health Alliance, last year. In gammaIt found that almost all products were inaccurately labeled, with the actual amount of the hormone ranging from 74% to 347% of the labeled amount. One product did not contain detectable levels of melatonin but did contain more than 31 mg of CBD, for which there is no data to support its use in children.
“It's like the Wild West with melatonin supplements,” says Vyas, who doesn't advise the families she works with.
“Several studies have shown positive improvement with melatonin for use in neurodiverse children, those with circadian rhythm disorders, delayed sleep phase syndrome, and jet lag — a combination of indications,” she says. “But there are not enough studies to make a general recommendation.”
It's not a great idea, either, she adds, because of how melatonin works: in a feedback loop, meaning that if it's supplied from an outside source, the body slows its natural production, and more and more supplements are required. .
“Plus, it can have a paradoxical reaction, which means many kids will take it and then wake up at 3 or 4 a.m.,” she says.
The Sleep Doctor survey found that children ages 4 to 7 were given melatonin more than any other age group, followed by those ages 8 to 12 and between 1 and 3 years; But 2% gave it to a child younger than six months old and 3% gave it to a child six to 11 months old. Furthermore, while most parents (97%) gave melatonin to their children more than once, 21% said they did so about 10 times, and 13% said they did it at least 50 times. 45% of parents say their doctor recommended it.
That's not surprising to Vyas, considering the combination of desperate parents and the “huge lack of education about sleep habits” of doctors, who may go looking for studies on melatonin for children and not find much — and who may assume it's safe. Because it is not regulated and available.
Other sleep aids – and how to avoid them
Medical professionals do not recommend using Benadryl (diphenhydramine), an antihistamine that comes with the side effect of sedation, except in very rare cases (to help treat jet lag, for example).
“It's been indicated and tested for children with allergies, so if you're using it outside of those parameters, you're using it off-label, and it's not without its side effects,” she says, warning that in some cases Benadryl may have the opposite effect and make The child is “fully connected.” Using it at night “creates a false ability to fall asleep,” she warns.
When it comes to medical sleep aids, such as Ambien (zolpidem), Sonata (zaleplon), and Restoril (temazepam, an addictive benzodiazepine), all of them should not be explicitly used in children. But it was given to children by parents, according to the poll, with 64% saying it was on a doctor's recommendation. In fact, 13% of parents said they had given sleep aid prescriptions 50 or more times; He gave it 4% to a child under six months old, 11% to a child aged six to 11 months, and 16% to a child between one and three years old.
“Using Ambien is risky even for adults, there are a lot of bad side effects,” says Vyas. “It has been tested and indicated for short-term use in adults, but many people have become so dependent on it that it is difficult to sleep without it… It is used chronically, on a daily basis, in place of good sleep habits and health.”
What does that look like for kids? “Consistency of routine is crucial,” she says, as is tracking baby's sleep cues so he can sleep when his body needs it most.
also:
- No screens: Reduce blue light stimulation from screens at least two hours before bedtime to help allow for natural melatonin production in the body.
- Play outsideExposure to daylight and sunset helps regulate the child’s circadian rhythm.
- To set an example: Teach your child to sleep independently.
- Get help: Work with a sleep coach to work through areas of trouble.
“Everyone wants a quick fix… but you can't blame the parents, because they get into a vicious cycle because of it,” says Vyas. “It's hard work to undo bad habits, but it's doable, and then you're setting your kids up for good sleep habits for the rest of their lives.”
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