School, sleep and anxiety
Tears, meltdowns, clinginess…and that’s just the parents! Jokes aside this is a really tough time for lots of little ones. There is a million things you can do but one basic one that gets frequently missed is sleep. Super basic and incredibly important for our ability to emotionally regulate. Any sleep-deprived parent will be able to tell of heightened emotions of some sort. Our little ones are absolutely no different. The only difference is they don’t have the maturity to know that one influences the other…plenty of time to work that out!
to edit.
A number of studies have linked a lack of sleep to anxiety and mood disorders. As science discovers more we have explanations for so many things- sleep loss and irritability, teariness, inability to control anger, depression…the list goes on. Some of it is chicken and egg stuff but a good night’s sleep will help regardless.
Here’s a basic idea of how much sleep kids need:
Age Recommend hours of sleep
2-5 years: 10-13 hours
6-13 years: 9-11 hours
14-17 years :8-10 hours
That is a LOT of sleep! If your 5 year old goes to bed at 8pm then the earliest they should wake is 6 or 7am. Your 8 year old for example, goes to bed at 8.30am and they will be waking at around 6.30am. Don’t forget to account for time to get to sleep. Not all kids fall asleep as soon as their head hits the pillow. I know I’m not the only one with kids that go to the loo 4 times after getting into bed and get up for at least one drink! That can go on for more than an hour…
I’m not telling you this to make you feel guilty. I ask my clients to ditch the mother guilt at the door. This is about knowledge because once we know we can do something about it. Lots of these tips apply to parents as well so pay attention- sleep can become a family project!
Sweet slumber tips:
In a tech driven world turn off screens an hour before bed. The blue light emitted from them mimics daylight keeping us awake. A filter is a good idea but doing anything on the computer is stimulating so best keep them off before bed.
Bed-time routines for little ones help them feel settled and secure. When mine were little we would do teeth, a book, the same song every night (17 years and going strong) then lights out. Other I’ve heard involve a bath, the lighting of a candle or the telling of a story. Make your own but keep it consistent.
A magnesium chloride or Epsom salt bath with a little lavender oil. Sweetest dreams ever for little ones. They will be out like a light!
A little lavender oil on the pillow. Lavender oil is a well-known calmative. A wee sniff and good night!
Chamomile tea is a lovely bedtime ritual.
Try some foods that are high in Tryptophan for dinner. Tryptophan is necessary for melatonin production- our sleep hormone. Chicken and pumpkin rate high as do oats. Use oats as a crumble topping on fruit. Add some cherries to the mix (they contain natural melatonin) and you have a perfect end to the day!
If you’re into homeopathics, one or 2 doses of coffea 30c can help over-active minds settle or nux vomica 30c can help cranky souls that wake in the middle of the night to stay asleep. Just one dose before bed.
Weirdly, sleep begets sleep. That is the more good quality sleep you have the more you will get. And lots of sleep helps our wee ones regulate their emotions that much better…I’m not going to guarantee no tears but giving your kids the best opportunity to sleep you possibly can is giving them a stable base for the day.
References
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/child-sleep-zzzs/201805/how-much-sleep-are-children-getting
https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/sleep-disorders
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sleep-and-mental-health
http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/need-sleep/whats-in-it-for-you/mood
https://psychcentral.com/news/2013/06/27/sleep-loss-increases-anxiety-especially-among-worriers/56531.html
https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/files/pdfs/Sleep-Needs-Across-Lifespan.pdf
Disclaimer: Homeopathy is a traditional medicine.The TGA considers Homeopathy a low risk medicine. It may be used in conjunction with other medicines. For any ongoing chronic condition, it is important to be assessed or examined by your healthcare professional or specialist.
Information given here is in no way intended to take the place of advice from your chosen healthcare professional or specialist. Any examples given from the authors life do not indicate that the remedy in question will work for everyone in every instance. They are used solely to illustrate the use the medicine in a practical situation.
Information is generally in nature and nothing said on this website is intended as a diagnosis and should not be taken as such.
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