Health Effects of Children Sleeping on a Couch

Many families run into financial troubles, meaning certain compromises need to be made. Some things won't have a lasting effect while others do. Many families are left moving to smaller homes with less bedrooms, leaving the children to sleep on couches. The full effects of a child sleeping on the couch are subtle with lasting impressions both physically and mentally.

Spinal Posture

• While the couch is the best place to watch TV, it is not a good idea to sleep on it. Your neck, back and spine will need proper support as you sleep to help maintain your posture and to grow correctly. The couch cushions get worn and uneven. This leads to poor support of the spine which will strain the neck and back muscles. Eventually the spine may end up with permanent damage.

Allergens

• Your child is sleeping on dust and dirt from family and pets, including dead skin and fur. Dust mites are alive and thriving just inside the cushions. Allergens from the couch can affect your child's nasal passages, eyes and throat. Even though beds also have high level of allergens, there is a lot less traffic near them, which means less pests are found.

Privacy

• Children need to have their own space where they can just be themselves and deal with the day they had, a place where they can put their dolls and teddy bears. A bed may not seem like much until a bad day has hit. A problem with privacy can lead to social issues.

Emotional stability

• It's not easy trying to sleep while hearing parents in the kitchen upset about family matters. It's the child's bed time and yet everyone else is still moving around. Sleep is disturbed by distractions, the adults don't have privacy and tensions mount. Stress that the child feels and doesn't know how to deal with will begin to affect emotions.