SWEET DREAMS

I hope everyone is staying healthy! Sending gratitude to all the essential workers, parents, and to everyone staying at home to keep our communities safe.

I have been hearing from parents that falling asleep has been a challenge for many kids lately. It's understandable. Routines are off, stress is high, school is different, and worry thoughts are swirling for most people. Sometimes saying "It's Time for bed!" is not enough to create the environment needed to invite sleep.

Tips to make bedtime smoother and sweeter:

Routine

Create a consistent bedtime routine, starting around the same time each night. This is a very important piece! This helps to regulate circadian rhythms.
If it works for your family, a checklist of nightly routine items can be helpful for a child to follow. You can keep it in a plastic sleeve and use a dry erase marker to cross off items.

Nighttime Yoga Poses

Incorporate a few restorative yoga poses into your child’s routine, such as child’s pose, head-to-knee pose, happy baby pose, or reclining twist. Hold each pose for 5-10 breaths, and follow with a guided meditation, or books.

Guided Meditations

Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories & Meditations for Kids (I & II) by Carolyn Clarke
Relax...It’s Karmatime - Magical Meditations for Children by Justine Aldersey-Williams
The podcast “Nothing Much Happens” could be a good fit for older children and teens.

Easing Nighttime Anxiety

Prior to bedtime, talk to your child about “Roses and Thorns”. What were your favorite parts of the day? What do you need to get off your chest before bed that was not so great? You can also call this "Talk Time." A "Brain Dump Journal", to write in each night, can be helpful for older kids and teens.
Use LOGIC. Help a child realize many of their nighttime fears are unfounded by using logic together. Even very young children can benefit from this practice.
Create a relaxing space with essential oil diffusers, soft blankets, and favorite stuffed animals. Try to keep most toys in another area of the house, or put away toys in the bedroom before bed.
Let your child smudge the room with essential oil spray, to clear the anxious feelings and welcome feelings of comfort.

More Grounding Sleep Aids

Weighted Blanket
- Weighted blankets should be about 10% of a child's body weight. These blankets can help a child to feel secure and reduce nighttime anxiety.
White Noise Machine
- Use white noise or white noise app with a speaker to create a soothing sound.
Oil Foot or Hand Massage in Evening
- Give your child a relaxing foot or hand massage, with calming essential oils in a carrier oil, such as coconut oil or jojoba before bed. A calming scent can become a soothing message to the mind that it is time to relax.
Herbal Tea
- Sharing a small cup of herbal / non-caffeinated tea about an hour before bedtime can be a relaxing and calming ritual.

If anxiety is the main factor for interrupted sleep, SEL coaching can help your child, and your family, to learn cognitive tools to manage anxious bedtime thoughts. E-mail ally@littleplumeducation.com to set up SEL session via Zoom.

I hope this post helps to make bedtime a little sweeter during this period of social isolation!

In gratitude,

Ally Schmidt, M.Ed.