Sleep Hygiene: Support to Improve Your Child's Sleep

SLEEP HYGIENE: SUPPORT TO IMPROVE YOUR CHILD’S SLEEP

How many of our families out there dread the night-time routine, the idea to try and get the kids to settle to sleep and stay asleep?

The millions of questions running through their minds that they need to ask you, the need for extra food, extra drink, the list goes on…

Sleep is a common conversation we have with our families and where the foundational understanding as to why our kids are unable to shut off and the ideas around the importance of sleep hygiene and sleep routines come into play.

Sleep is an essential part of our everyday lives. Our bodies need sleep to stay healthy, think, move, interact, and feel our best. The way in which we work towards improving our sleep and how to manage areas that are impacting our children’s sleep is by focusing on our sleep hygiene in our day-to-day.

What is Sleep Hygiene?

Sleep hygiene refers to quality sleep and making the actions, habits, and necessary changes to set up a child for success in their sleep. It involves nightly routines, modifications to the environment, and daily decisions that will optimise sleep.

How do we improve our child’s sleep hygiene?

In order to support improvements in sleep, we first need to look at the underlying reasons as to why these challenges are occurring.

One reason for challenges in falling and staying asleep for our children can be related to the way their bodies experience and react to the world around them. Sensory stimuli such as sights, sounds, touch, spatial awareness, and body awareness can make it difficult for some children to make their bodies calm and relaxed. When children do not have sufficient body awareness and, therefore, safety within themselves, this leads to them living in a state of heightened or overwhelm, impacting their ability to calm and feel grounded enough to shut off and fall asleep, and they will do anything in their power to avoid it.

Once this information is established, we work with our parents to identify the environment or lifestyle factors that may be affecting the consistency of the current sleep routine. Such as:

Is there a current routine before bed, and how consistent is it?
Activities completed before the night routine commences, e.g. limiting screen time
The bedroom environment, e.g. temperature, darkness, sounds
Diet close to bedtime

How can our Occupational Therapists help?

We work together and provide education to our parents and caregivers on the misconceptions and expectations of sleep and address factors that may exacerbate poor sleep quality to establish:

A predictable and smooth routine and how we can adapt the current routine for successful and ongoing implementation at home, including setting regular wake and sleep times.
A bedroom environment modification that includes noise, light, temperature, and bedding that helps the child wind down and prepare for sleep.
Sensory strategies that will help children regulate their bodies and prepare for sleep. This may include techniques such as individualised sensory diets.
Relaxation techniques that will promote restful sleep, such as deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation.
Coping skills and self-regulation to facilitate the child’s capacity to relax for sleep onset.

Sleep is such a complex task. When a child is not sleeping, it impacts the entire family dynamic. Sleep is so important and can seriously impact on daily activities, from self-care to academics to social skills.

Please reach out to us if you would like more information and support in developing a successful sleep routine. By reviewing a child’s sleep habits, providing education and guidance, and developing behavioural and sensory strategies, we can help our children get the rest they need to thrive.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Contact us on 0477 708 217 or admin@exploreandsoar.com.au

Until next time,
Maddie

References

https://grhsonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Basic-Sleep-Hygiene-Guidelines.pdf

https://thespiralfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Sleep-and-SI-brochure_final.pdf

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AUGUST 2, 2023