What's Eating Your Child? by Kelly Dorfman

Author:Kelly Dorfman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
Published: 2011-03-25T16:00:00+00:00

What to Do

Sleep is complicated, but there are a number of good rules to follow to help your child regulate his sleep—whether or not he’s taking melatonin.

1. Set a bedtime; the more regular a child’s schedule, the better for his body to reestablish its rhythm and click into its need for sleep.

2. Exercise. Studies don’t lie: The more physical activity your child gets during the course of the day, the better he will sleep at night. Timing is important, and exercising right before bed does not work for most children.

3. Stay away from sugar and caffeine; both keep kids awake. This tip may seem like a no-brainer, but sometimes we forget just how sensitive our little gals and guys are to the influence of sugar and anything that might contain caffeine (chocolate ice cream, for instance).

4. Introduce some relaxation exercises:

• Say good night to your body parts, starting with the toes and moving to the head.

• Read together. Whether your child enjoys being read to, enjoys reading to you, or finds pleasure reading on his own, this activity calms the brain and distracts children from worries or preoccupations.

5. Consider using melatonin.

Sleep has a huge impact on every function your child is trying to accomplish—from physical growth to management of their emotions to brain development and learning. Thus, it’s important to pay attention anytime your child’s sleep seems disturbed.

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