Sleep Tight!

Knowing the sleep problems that can occur to school-age children and the symptoms of sleep deprivation, it of course important to make getting a good night’s sleep a priority. Just as children needs food, they also need replenishing sleep. There are plenty of suggestions for making a good night’s sleep happen for the whole family, like…
• Move your child’s bedtime earlier. Children who go to sleep too late have difficulty falling asleep, wake up more during the night, and are more likely to sleepwalk and have sleep terrors. In fact, gradually moving your child’s bedtime 30 minutes earlier each night may eliminate terrors altogether. Watch during the evening for the time when your child slows down, then work toward getting her to bed before that time. If you wait too long, your child will catch a second wind and have difficulty falling asleep.
• Create a quiet and comfortable sleeping area. A room that is too hot, too cold, or even too cluttered can hamper good sleep.
• Be aware of the signs of sleep difficulties. When determining why a child is behaving a certain way or having a particular experience, parents often overlook the contribution of inadequate sleep.
• Do not hesitate to talk to your child’s pediatrician about sleep-related concerns, especially if your child regularly snores or has other symptoms of sleep apnea. Many sleep problems are easily treated.
• Avoid caffeine. Twenty-six percent of children between ages 3 to 10 drink at least one caffeinated drink a day. These children sleep over three hours a week less than children who do not drink caffeine.
• Remove the television from your child’s room. Children with televisions in their rooms go to sleep 20 minutes later and lose more than two hours a week of sleep. The television and computer should be turned off one full hour before bedtime. 
• Develop a calming bedtime ritual with your child. Thirty minutes before the lights-out, have your child dress for bed and then try reading together, sharing a devotion, and praying.
• Encourage physical activity and exercise during the day.
• Remember that light is related to the sleep-wake cycle. Dim the lights in the evening and brighten the room in the morning.
• Do not use bedtime as a punishment. If you want your child to easily go to sleep and sleep well, having her associate bedtime with punishment will not help.
• The process of falling asleep is learned. If you want your child to be able to go to sleep without your presence, complete your bedtime routine and then allow your child to fall asleep without you being in the room. You may need to move gradually toward this goal id your child has already become accustomed to you being in the room. Set fair rules and be consistent.
• Keep a sleep diary. Note wake-up time, bedtimes, issues settling in, and times waking up during the night. Doing so may identify patterns and better help you find solutions.

So, good night.. sleep tight.. Do not let the bed bugs bite! (: