Sunday, November 25, 2012

Sleep Tips



      For all people, sleep is undoubtedly one of the most important factors that contribute to being effective and available throughout the day. For children, a good night sleeps increase their ability to engage in learning tasks, and deprivation can hinder performance and make children more irritable. We are using our blog for this week to discuss some bed time strategies to help children get a great night’s sleep!

1) Limit the amount of day-time sleep. Napping has shown benefits in small increments, but extended naps can make night time sleep more difficult

2) Children need to learn to initiate sleep on their own – a crying child is difficult to ignore, but coming in when they cry condition an attention function & decrease a child’s natural ability to fall asleep

3) If you have been entering the child’s room when they are crying, and then you stop, expect a brief increase in intensity of cries for parental attention

4) If you are concerned with their waking, keep a sleep diary of how long they typically remain asleep and the duration of the crying

5) Keep bedrooms dark and cool

6) Be consistent with bedtimes

7) Using a slow, rhythmic object that your child can watch while trying to fall asleep may make it easier for them

8) If your child needs a snack before bed, make it early and keep it light

9) Create a bed time routine that your child can follow (e.g., bath then pajamas then brush teeth then a story then a hug then lights out)

     All people need a good, quality night of sleep to perform well the next day. If your child is experiencing some difficulties, the above tips may be helpful to get them to fall asleep and help them sleep through the night. Good luck and lights out!

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