Posted on 07/10/2016
For some kids, sleep comes easily. But for others, even when they’re tired, it can be elusive. The issue of healthy sleep is a big one: it can impact overall health, academic success, and even relationships. The biggest contributing factor to insomnia in kids is the same as it is for adults: everyday anxieties. You can help your child get a better night’s sleep and keep anxiety at bay instead of allowing it to get to a clinical level by incorporating some simple routines into your evenings.
What Not To Do
Let’s start with what shouldn’t be part of your child’s evenings. First, there shouldn’t be a lot of sugar or caffeine. While many adults are affected by caffeine, kids can feel its effects even more strongly. Since caffeine can function to increase anxiety and keep kids awake, avoiding it is a good idea, especially after 3 p.m.
In addition, it’s good to avoid any rigorous exercise or physical activity in the two or three hours prior to bedtime. A third thing to avoid is any kind of scary books or movies or any other media that can cause nightmares. (You might even want to wait to watch the news until after your kids are in bed.) Sometimes kids intentionally stay awake in order to avoid the nightmares they have once they get to sleep, and exposure to images or ideas that seem threatening can increase the likelihood of bad dreams.
What To Include
A healthy bedtime routine includes calming rituals and affection, but even more important than what you choose to include is the fact that it’s the same, every night. The predictable rhythm of a nightly routine can do wonders to soothe an anxious child, especially in the midst of uncertainty or other stressors. It shouldn’t be too brief or too lengthy: About 30 minutes seems to be the norm.
For some kids, a printable chart that outlines a before-bed to-do list might be helpful, as well. Be sure to include necessary hygiene tasks like bathing and brushing teeth, but don’t limit the routine to the necessities. Make it a calming, nurturing way to end the day.
What To Consider
Not all kids are soothed by the same things, so you’ll want to play around with these to establish an appropriate pattern for each child. Some kids may find quiet music with lyrics helpful since it provides something other than their worries on which to focus their minds. Other kids may find that music keeps them awake. Aromatherapy, light massage, lotions, or special night lights can also help some kids, but be detrimental for others. For those with especially active minds, the old idea of counting sheep might not be a bad one. Perhaps they can try counting backward from 100 (or even 1000), forcing their minds to focus on something that won’t keep them awake — well, at least not for too long.