How to help your kids get enough sleep, especially during the Covid pandemic

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Consider the work our brains do all day – thinking, feeling, making decisions, and worrying about our family, friends, and even our own safety. Sleep is the only time our brains rest.

To get enough of this rest, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 10 to 13 hours of nighttime sleep for children ages 3 to 5; 9 to 12 hours for children 6 to 12 years old; and 8 to 10 hours for teenagers. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, only 4 in 10 high school students and 3 in 10 high school students get enough sleep.

Not getting enough sleep comes at a high cost. Insufficient sleep can cause short- and long-term problems, including not only impaired cognition, irritability and lack of patience, but also diabetes and heart disease, studies have shown.

Much of our emotional health is also linked to sleep, and a lack of sleep can create a downward spiral: problems with mood or anxiety can make sleep worse, and a lack of sleep makes mood worse or worse. anxiety. Our best bet is to break the cycle as soon as possible.

I know it’s easier said than done, especially with the homework, the hormones, and the academic pressures on kids and teens – not to mention their social lives, or lack thereof right now. . Implementing good sleep hygiene practices as a family is essential – for both parents and children.

Start with a regular bedtime routine

Distance learning, working from home, lack of daycare, and financial hardship are some of the reasons our routines are different these days. A good bedtime routine is one of the most critical parts of sleep hygiene.
A regular nighttime routine - even on weekends - is essential for establishing good sleep hygiene.
The more consistent the bedtime routine, the more your children’s body clocks stay on track and the more their brains begin to associate the routine with drowsiness. Having a consistent internal clock also helps regulate mood, which further improves sleep.

This means trying to keep weekend sleep and wake-up routines as close to weekdays as possible. This is difficult, especially for teens whose body clocks are naturally shifted later in ways that don’t always correspond to the school day. But the more consistent the weekend routine, the easier it will be to fall asleep and wake up on weekdays, when it’s usually the hardest.

Start relaxing at least an hour before bedtime

Do relaxing and relaxing activities at least an hour before bedtime and avoid screens. Try reading together, doing a puzzle, or even telling stories for the younger ones. Older children can try journaling or creating a bedtime ritual, like writing down things they are thankful for throughout the day. These activities usually keep our minds from running in different directions throughout the day.

Keep screens out of the bedtime routine – and the bedroom

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The blue light emitted by screens can tell your brain it’s time to wake up – the exact opposite of what we want before bed. Not only should children stop using their phones or screens an hour or so before bedtime, but it is best to keep them out of the room to reduce the temptation to use them, but also to reduce the light emitted which prevents the room to be completely dark. . That means laptops, tablets, gaming systems and yes, cell phones.

In my experience, although putting phones away can be a disappointment at first, many older children feel liberated, more aware, and sleep much better when their phones are left in buckets on the dining table and they are do not take them before after breakfast.

Create an environment conducive to sleep

In addition to eliminating devices, the layout of the room can play a big role in the quality of sleep you get. You want it to be comfortable, welcoming and safe. Try to keep your child’s favorite stuffed animals, toys, or a symbol of something soothing as close as possible to their bedside. The room should be as dark as possible (blackout curtains work) and the temperature on the cooler side.

Try not to eat or drink an hour before bedtime

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Your body does a lot of work digesting food, extracting all of its nutrients, and turning them into energy. You want to prevent this process from happening too late at night, because not only can certain foods, like sugars, give you a burst of energy right before bed – if you haven’t waited long enough for yourself. falling asleep, that could be a recipe. for reflux and stomach discomfort.

For older members of the household, avoid caffeine as much as you can, and not just before bed. Caffeine at any time of the day, even in the late morning, can affect your sleep. If you want better quality, deeper sleep, cut out tea, coffee, or caffeinated sodas for the day.

Try meditation for sleeping in bed

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If your child is awake in bed, ask him to try meditating. It can reduce stress and increase chemicals that make you feel relaxed and drowsy. A body scan is easy to do.

With your eyes closed and your body still, start at the tip of your forehead and, working your way down, relax every muscle in your face. Continue to move downward in your body to bring your attention to different parts of the body, relaxing your muscles as you “scan” that area of ​​your mind. Many children I have worked with tell me they barely reach for their arms before falling asleep.

Keep the bed only to sleep

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It is also useful for children to stay out of bed for sleepless activities including homework or even to listen to music while texting their friends. You want your brain to associate bed with sleep, and this physical separation can help.

If meditation, counting, or other activities are not working and your child cannot fall asleep after 20-30 minutes, they should get out of bed and try a relaxing activity until they feel good enough. asleep to try to sleep again. This helps your brain to continue to connect the bed with drowsiness, not waking up.

Good sleep hygiene model for your children

As with most things about parenting, practicing what you preach not only reinforces the message, but shows your kids what to do. By implementing the same techniques you expect from them, it becomes a family activity. Choose nightly family rituals, like screen-free reading time after dinner, or playing a guided meditation and following it together.

Watch for signs that your child is struggling

If your child just didn’t sleep and is having difficulty in other areas as well, such as a lack of appetite, problems with motivation, or a closed or irritable mood – it may be time to see your pediatrician, therapist or psychiatrist to see if something else is going on, such as depression or anxiety.

The brain is one of our most valuable assets, and like any valuable asset, there are ways to take care of and nurture it so that it can do its job at its best. And it all begins – and ends – with sleep.

For more tips on getting restful sleep, subscribe to CNN Sleep News Series, But Better.

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