Let children sleep outdoors 0 ° C for forging health

Have you ever let young children, especially babies, take a cold nap outside, even when the temperature could drop below 0 ° C? Most parents in Northern Europe will not hesitate to do so. For them, this is just a 'routine in the district'.

This winter, the daytime temperatures in Stockholm (Sweden) regularly fall below -5 ° C, but there are still countless young children allowed by their parents to sleep in cradles outside.

Wandering through this snowy city, you'll easily see rows of buggies outside cafes while parents sip their favorite drink inside.

Children in Nordic countries like Sweden are often given by parents
Sleep in an outdoor car, even if the weather falls below 0 ° C. (Photo: BBC)

'I think it is the right thing to leave a child outside in the fresh air as soon as possible, especially in the winter, when countless illnesses lurk around . Children seem to be healthier,' said Lisa Mardon, a grandmother. 3-year-old mother in Stockholm, who is working for a food distribution company, said.

Miss Mardon has let all three of her children sleep outdoors since they were born. The youngest child, Alfred, was only 2 years old and was allowed to sleep in the outdoor car by the mother once a day, about an hour and a half. When he was younger, he also took a nap this time twice a day.

Leaving children to sleep outdoors is not a recent trend in Sweden. Mardon's parents and grandparents also did it with their children since the 1950s.

Currently, most daycare centers in Sweden let children rest outside. At Forskolan Orren, a kindergarten on the outskirts of Stockholm, all children sleep outside until they are 3 years old.

Brittmarie Carlzon - the principal of the school - revealed: 'When the temperature drops to -15 ° C, we always use blankets to cover cribs . Last year, we had a few days of temperature at -20 ° C. During these days, we brought in the cribs for a certain period of time when the children slept, but most of their sleep time still took place outside. '

A child sleeps in an outdoor crib with a device
Electronic monitoring in weather down to -10 ° C. (Photo: BBC)

A group of students at this kindergarten always play and study outdoors, from 9am to 3pm daily. Outside in the open air, the children do everything that other children do inside and just go home at lunch or when the weather is unusually cold.

Leaving napping outside is a common phenomenon in all Nordic countries. The principle for this behavior is that children are exposed to open air, whether in winter or summer, less likely to have a cold or cold and that, spending the whole day in a room Closed with about 30 other children does not bring any benefits to children.

Many parents also believe that their children sleep better and get deeper when outdoors. A Finnish researcher confirmed that she obtained the survey evidence supporting this view.

'Young children obviously sleep outdoors longer in the house (1.5 - 3 hours compared to 1-2 hours). Perhaps, limiting the movement of clothing has prolonged sleep and the cold environment also makes it easier to wrap diapers than hot weather , 'said researcher Marjo Tourula.

According to Ms. Tourula's study, -5 ° C is the most suitable temperature for outdoor naps, although some parents have even told their children to sleep outside at -30 ° C.

Children sleep in carts outside a cafe
in Copenhagen (Denmark). (Photo: BBC)

Will babies who sleep outdoors end up with less flu and colds? According to pediatrician Margareta Blennow, reports from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency have shown conflicting results. In some studies, they found that preschoolers spend many hours outdoors, not just sleeping, but generally less sick than their peers most of the time inside closed spaces. private. Some other studies do not indicate any differences.

Martin Jarnstrom, head of one of Ur och Skur's preschool systems and an advocate of letting children sleep outside, notes, although the weather is cold, children must always be kept warm by wearing wool and warm clothes, use warm sleeping bags .

The Swedes have a great saying 'There is no bad weather, only bad clothes'. So when seeing young children in other countries forced to stay indoors when the temperature drops below 0 ° C, the Swedes may have concluded another saying ' A little air is not harmful. hurt anyone '.

Official advice of Finnish experts

Regardless of the season of the year, many children spend the night in a baby carriage outdoors. Many children sleep outdoors, in a more open and airy atmosphere in the bedroom. Sleeping outdoors is not dangerous for a child. Mom and baby can gradually start out when the baby is 2 weeks old.