Nutrition and sleep of a child in the first year of life: A pediatrician needs to know this: A review

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Abstract

Sleep is regulated by circadian rhythms and homeostatic processes and is essential for the health and development of the child. Lack of sleep correlates with behavioral problems, learning difficulties, and an increased risk of various diseases. Functional disorders, in particular infantile colic, are often associated with sleep disorders in infants, which require a comprehensive approach to treatment. The ontogeny of sleep is closely linked to morphological and functional changes in the brain, with sleep playing a critical role in neural network formation, memory consolidation, and synaptic density regulation. The formation of circadian rhythms is a complex process that begins in the prenatal period. Exogenous factors, such as sleep disturbances in a pregnant woman and nutritional factors, can desynchronize the baby's circadian rhythms, with adverse consequences for its health. Factors influencing the formation of circadian rhythms after birth include light, the chrononutrients in breast milk (BM), and the intestinal microbiota. BM is the “gold standard” of nutrition, providing immune protection and normal neurogenesis. The article discusses the role of tryptophan, nucleotides, fatty acids, and melatonin contained in BM in the development of healthy sleep. The role of adapted formulas in cases where breastfeeding is not possible is analyzed, and the importance of using prebiotic-containing formulas to improve infant digestion and sleep is emphasized.

About the authors

Irina N. Zakharova

Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education

Author for correspondence.
Email: zakharova-rmapo@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4200-4598

D. Sci. (Med.), Prof.

Russian Federation, Moscow

Irina V. Berezhnaya

Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education; Bashlyaeva Children's City Clinical Hospital

Email: zakharova-rmapo@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2847-6268

Cand. Sci. (Med.)

Russian Federation, Moscow; Moscow

Yana V. Orobinskaya

Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education

Email: zakharova-rmapo@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0005-2121-4010

Assistant

Russian Federation, Moscow

Viktoria V. Pupykina

Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education

Email: zakharova-rmapo@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2181-8138

Assistant

Russian Federation, Moscow

Viktoriya D. Churilova

Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education

Email: zakharova-rmapo@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0009-0335-0704

Assistant

Russian Federation, Moscow

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