Why the Fuss over Sleep

We all know that sleep serves a purpose, but many parents are surprised to learn the complex functions of sleep in children. Sleep is a time of intense neurologic and physiologic activity; there are times where the brain is more active during sleep than awake. For children this is especially true. By the age of three the average child has spent more time sleeping than all wakeful times combined. Research clearly shows that sleep affects behavior, health and learning. This is true for young and old alike. For the purposes of this article the primary focus will be on the role of sleep in children.