Sleep is Crucial For Your Child’s Mental Health

June 23, 2015

Getting regular, restful sleep is absolutely crucial for mental health, but according to the 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health, 15 million children and teens aren’t getting enough. Learn more about how important sleep is for your children, and how you can help them get more of it.

Sleep and your child's mental health

Sleep and Mental Health

North American adults, teens, and children are all at risk of sleep deprivation, and it’s a big problem, because sleep deprivation is a risk factor for mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. As well as this, people with existing mental illnesses tend to suffer from sleep problems. This means there’s what’s known as a “bidirectional link” between sleep and mental illness: people who have sleep problems are more at risk of developing certain mental illnesses, and people with mental illnesses are likely to have insomnia and other sleep disturbances.

According to studies that examine brain chemistry and brain activity, getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis is important for mental acuity and emotional stability. For example people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to be emotionally volatile, and to have reduced cognitive function that can negatively affect their work or school performance. If the problem isn’t addressed, sleep deprivation can easily turn into a vicious cycle where lack of sleep causes minor emotional or cognitive problems that exacerbate sleeping difficulties.

What Does this Mean for Your Child?

While the link between sleep and mental health has been well established in adults, it was only recently, in May 2015, that scientists confirmed the existence of a similar link in children. The study, carried out at the Norway University of Science and Technology, found that when young children have serious sleep problems, they have a higher risk of developing psychiatric problems during childhood.

The study looked at the sleeping routines of children as young as four, and concluded that four year old children with serious sleeping problems had a higher risk of developing psychiatric issues by as early as six years old. The most common sleep disorder children are affected by is insomnia; in the Norwegian survey, around 16.6% of four year olds were affected.

The study also found that the reverse was true: young children with psychiatric symptoms had a higher likelihood of developing sleep disorders than children who didn’t have psychiatric symptoms. This is especially true of ADHD, which causes sleep problems in up to 50% of children with the disorder.

What to Do if Your Child has Sleeping Problems

This doesn’t mean, of course, that all children with sleep problems will develop psychiatric symptoms or mental illnesses. For most children, as well as most adults, sleeping problems are transient, lasting only a few weeks or a few months. For children especially, establishing healthy regular sleep routines is difficult, even for children who don’t have actual sleep disorders. However, there’s a lot you can do to help your child establish a healthy sleep routine, and teach them about the importance of sleep.

Establish a set bedtime and try not to deviate from it.
Make sure their bed is comfortable and isn’t too hot or too cold.
Avoid distractions in the hour before bed, for example, with a “no TV/computer” rule. Instead, opt for bedtime stories or soothing music.
Kids sleep better when they spend time playing outdoors, so encourage your children to take part in sports or other outdoor activities.

Transient sleep issues are absolutely normal, and there’s typically no reason to be worried if your child has difficulty with a new bedtime or a change in sleeping habits. But if their problems persist for more than a few months, or get worse over time, then seeking help is definitely a good idea.

Citations

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children’s Mental Health. Accessed June 9, 2015.

Child Development Institute. Child Psychology and Mental Health. Accessed June 9, 2015.

DA – Helping Children With Addiction. Helping an Addicted Child. Accessed June 9, 2015.

Eureka Alert Press Release. Children’s Sleep and Mental Health are Related. Silje Steinsbekk and Lars Wichstrøm (2015). Stability of Sleep Disorders From Preschool to First grade and Their Bidirectional Relationship With Psychiatric Symptoms. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics: May 2015. Volume 36, Issue 4. pp 243-251.Accessed June 9, 2015.

Harvard Health Publications Newsletter (2009). Sleep and Mental Health. Accessed June 9, 2015.

Healthy Children. Sleep and Mental Health. Accessed June 9, 2015.

About the Author: Mel Rivers now works as an independent freelancer, before she did this she had a varied career in the health care sector. Prior to working in this sphere, she’d battled her own issues with addiction, and used her experiences to help deal with other people who were struggling, during the course of her day job. She works from home now, after becoming a mom to two girls.

Why you should hire a sleep consultant

April 5, 2015

1) Sleep matters: Sleep Consultants or Sleep Coaches clearly understand the benefits of healthy sleep, not only for your child but for parents too: improved health and wellness, better coordination and safety, increased capacity of memory and learning, as well as a happier mood and temperament.

2) Overwhelming information: From books, advice from well-meaning friends and family, to good old Google – there’s a lot of (mis)information out there. A sleep expert will help you wade through it and offer the real evidence and experience based expertise and support.

3) Certified Sleep Consultant: Unfortunately, the term sleep consultant is not protected, meaning anyone can use that title. There’s a lot of self described experts out there. Look for a Certified Sleep Consultant or Certified Sleep Coach. My certification process involved over 80 hours of training, along with mentored practical training with families. I’m part of an association which mandates an accredited certification, standards of practice, along with continuing education.

4) Continuing Education: Ensure your sleep consultant is staying on top of the growing body of sleep research. I’m committed to ongoing professional development. In addition to keeping current with the latest research on pediatric sleep, I’ve participated in various symposiums and conferences with world renowned sleep researchers and physicians.

5) Parent: Choose a sleep coach or consultant who is also a parent. I’ve been tired too (yes, this tired). I understand balancing different needs for different children at different stages. I appreciate where your children are developmentally and the enormity of the task of raising your tiny humans. You want the best for them and to be at your best for them.

6) Ongoing support: Your sleep coach or consultant will evaluate progress objectively, while providing support emotionally. As an educator, sleep coaches can offer information to help parents make the best decisions to reach their long term family sleep goals.

7) Planning: A sleep coach can help you with your infant, but also help you strategize for when that infant turns into a toddler and eventually a preschooler, or when another sibling joins your home. When new circumstances arise, we can tackle them together.

8) Self Regulation: One of the first tasks for babies as they mature is to self regulate their eating and sleeping. Self-regulation is an important step in emotional and social development. Difficulty in self-regulation can lead to challenges when children are faced with emotional, cognitive or social challenges.

9) Strong Families: Even within a family unit, each parent can have a different way they’d like to approach sleep. Let the sleep coach be the unbiased party who can work with your family objectively, while allowing parents to be supportive of one another. Everyone can be better and accomplish more with a good night’s sleep. One of the best ways to have a joyful, thriving, cohesive and loving family is to be a well rested family.

10) The Bicycle Effect: Learning to sleep is like learning to ride a bicycle. Just like riding a bike, once you’ve established the ability to sleep well, those skills are always there. You might be out of practice from time to time, but that learned ability does not disappear. Teaching a child to sleep well is a gift that will last a lifetime. An entire family gets the healthy sleep they need, but that child will learn they are capable.

Krista is a mother of 3 (+1 dog who believes she’s people), a wife to a wonderful husband, and the owner and founder of Sleeperific. Even though she’s been in the sleep consulting biz for 4 years, she still gets really excited when she’s hired by a sleepy family.

Daylight Saving Time – Messing with child sleep since 1918

March 5, 2013

Springing ahead without getting behind

Spring is almost here. After the winter that just won’t stop, it’s a welcome change. The days are getting longer, brighter and (hopefully) warmer. Then you realize it’s Daylight Savings Time and you’re going to lose an hour of a parent’s precious commodity: sleep.

If it’s any consolation, this time change tends to be the easier one from a parenting perspective. Kids bridge this gap a bit better than Fall Back.

Here’s some of our suggestions to make for a seamless transition back into Daylight Savings:

If you have an early riser – Don’t do anything differently. This is the moment you’ve been waiting for! The child who is up like a firecracker at 6AM wake up will now be getting up at 7AM. Somehow, these parents will wind up gaining an hour after all this is said and done. Give a big thank you to the universe for this one.

For the ‘easy going’ child – A child with generally has good sleep habits and an ability to go with the flow, doesn’t require any preparation. You may not have to do anything ahead of the time change. Give them a few days to adapt to the new schedule.

For the ‘less flexible’ child – Start adjusting a few days before the shift. For children heading to school, shift their waking, breakfast, dinner and bedtimes to be 15 minutes earlier. For children who are younger than school age, consider shifting their entire schedule [including wake times, eat times, nap(s) and bedtimes] 15 minutes earlier. Repeat this incremental shift for the next 3 days. By the time Sunday rolls around, their bodies are fully prepared for the adjustment.

Stay on Schedule – Every aspect of the day gives our children an opportunity to know what time it is. Mealtimes, play times, along with wake and bedtimes all offer cues to help our children be prepared and receptive for what’s coming next. Be mindful and deliberate with the time adjustment as it affects ALL of your daily activities, not just sleep. Diligently follow your usual routines on the adjusted schedule.

Sleep Environment – Longer days and springing ahead means that sunlight is creeping into child’s bedrooms. Initially, the time change means more light at the end of the day. Light at bedtime can delay the onset of sleep. Ensure the use dark shades or window coverings to keep your child’s room dark. This will help prevent early morning risings as days lengthen and it becomes brighter in the early morning as well. A low wattage nightlight is fine.

However you decide to make the change, be patient. Your child will take a few days to adapt, just like you. Be consistent, stay the course and good luck families!

Fall Back – Surviving the end of DST with kids

October 29, 2012

Here’s your official reminder: this weekendis the end of daylight savings time (DST). Don’t worry, it’s the cool time change – the one where we (incredibly!) go back in time. Not it’s wicked, sleep depriving step-sister, spring ahead. Before heading to bed on Saturday, put your clocks back one hour. Or at least adjust the old-fashioned widgets that won’t adjust themselves.

In a past, child-free existence, the end of daylight savings time was an occasion to be celebrated. Fall Back meant one extra hour dedicated to the guilty pleasure of your choice. But in your present, kid-centric world, the end of daylight savings time is just one more obstacle to navigate.

Fortunately, Fall Back doesn’t have to be a significant setback. If your child generally has good sleep habits, is well rested and has shown their ability to go with the flow, don’t be too concerned. You may not have to do anything ahead of the time change. Give them a few days, and they’ll adjust.

For parents of children who have proven themselves to be more sensitive in terms of scheduling and sleep, here are a few suggestions to make it easy on them (aka easy on you).

Plan – Start adjusting the week prior to the time change. For children heading to school, if you can, consider shifting their moring rising, breakfast, dinner, and bedtimes to be 15 minutes later. For children who are younger than school age, consider shifting their entire schedule (including wake times, eating times, nap(s) and bedtimes) 15 minutes later. Repeat this incremental shift for the next 3 days. By the time Sunday rolls around, their little bodies are fully prepared for the adjustment.

Stay on Schedule – Every aspect of the day gives our children an opportunity to know what time it is. Mealtimes, playtimes, along with wake and bedtimes all offer cues to help our children be prepared and receptive for what’s coming next. Be mindful and deliberate with the time adjustment as it affects ALL of your daily activities, not just sleep. Diligently follow your usual routines on the adjusted schedule.

Earlier Bedtimes – On the day of and days following the time change, you may notice that a 7 AM wake time turns into a 6 AM wake time. Be prepared to compensate with an earlier bedtime (and possibly earlier nap times for the wee ones) to prevent any overtiredness from setting in.

Let There Be Light – The onset of autumn means cooler, shorter days with fewer hours of sunlight. In the mornings, you’re likely turning on the lights anyway. As your child is having their breakfast, ensure exposure to a well-lit area of your home. Try to keep things dark until then. Build in some time for outdoor play during the day on Sunday as well. This will help naturally regulate circadian rhythms, but exercise will also boost sleep quality and your child’s ability to settle at naps and bedtime.

Admit to yourself that it’s not always going to be perfect. Don’t sweat it. Children take some time to adjust and adapt, just like you. Be patient and consistent while continuing to make sleep a priority for your family.

5 things keeping your child awake

October 18, 2012

Go the F* to Sleep didn’t become a number 1 bestseller because all of our kids are sleeping through the night and taking long restful naps. This book offers an honest and cheeky look at the frustration and desperation EVERY parent has experienced at one time or another: your baby can’t or won’t sleep and you find yourself swearing under your breath. You know they’re tired. But what’s keeping them up?

Here are some of the reasons why your child may still be awake:

Sleep Environment – A child’s bedroom can make or break their ability to drift off to sleep. Whatever place you do choose for your child to sleep, be consistent. Encourage soothing and restfulness by having a dark, quiet space. Limit the intrusion of sunlight with blackout curtains or blinds. We love these inexpensive, easy blackout shades from the Home Depot.

Overtired – Wrangling an overtired child into bed is an uphill battle. There is a point where children who are overtired can appear to be wired or hyper. Aim to get them in bed drowsy but before overtiredness sets in. Be respectful of your child’s limits.

Under-tired – If a child has rested too long during the day or has not slept at biologically appropriate times, your child simply may not be ready to rest. Help them be successful at transitioning to sleep by winding down and offering a soothing bedtime routine, like stories, snuggles and lullabies.

Jobs – We all have our jobs to do. So do our children. A baby might have a job to call for you to see if you’ll come put her soother back in her mouth. A toddler might need to check if you’re still lying next to him like you were when he fell asleep. A preschooler might believe there are monsters under his bed and need your magic spells to eradicate them. Do your best to ensure sleep is the only job your child has.

Skills – Remember that falling asleep is a learned skill. This is another situation where practice makes perfect diabetes drugs. Your child might not always be good at falling asleep independently. Offer assistance and support to help them gradually develop their abilities. Teaching a child to fall asleep independently is a skill that will last a lifetime. Your child will learn to trust themselves, develop self-confidence and believe “I am capable.”

Having awareness and avoiding these situations will help create ideal circumstances for your child to have calm naps and peaceful nights; no cussing necessary.

Sweet Dreams

September 12, 2012

I always check on my kids before I go to bed at night. I like to know they’re safe and comfortable. There’s something about a sleeping child that makes me swoon a little. And I know I won’t always be able to do this. I know that someday, she’ll be all grown up. She’ll be 18, and might say stuff like

“Screw you Mom, I’m moving in with Chad.”

I’ll be glad I’ve captured moments like these.

Terrific Quiet Time

September 5, 2012

Magnets

Just a baking tray and magnets from the dollar store. We had number magnets. Letter magnets or pretty much any other magnets you can find would work too. There are even some downloadable activities to print and put on your trays here and here.

I set this up on an easel for her for a couple reasons:

1) It’s just easier for her to manipulate when she’s standing and facing her task.

2) Her room is small. She often ends up hanging out on her bed. Which isn’t a huge deal, but keeping the bed just for sleeping is consistent with what I suggest when I’m consulting with families.

Wander over to Pinterest for more Terrific Quiet Time inspiration.