Childhood insomnia can make it difficult for children to fall asleep, and cause them to wake frequently during the night. This interferes with youngsters’ ability to get the rest they need to function from day to day. Sleep problems in children can cause any combination of problems that include:
- irritability
- lowered immune systems
- developmental delays
- poor grades
- hyperactivity
- attention problems
- memory problems
Some common culprits of childhood insomnia include being overscheduled, going to bed too late, overstimulation, and stress. More serious causes of sleep problems in kids include sleep apnea, asthma, side effects of drugs, autism, and restless leg syndrome. Turning to medications when kids can't get to sleep is the last thing parents want to do. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to treat childhood insomnia naturally.
Stick to a Predictable Bedtime Routine
Young children are more cooperative when they are able to predict the things that will happen throughout the day. So if a child knows that bedtime arrives shortly after he takes a bath, brushes his teeth, and listens to a story, he’ll be less likely to resist. Give kids plenty of time to prepare for bed by starting their routines an hour before the target bedtime.
Limit Caffeine Intake
Caffeine is naturally found in a lot of the foods and drinks kids enjoy such as chocolate products, soft drinks, and tea. But products such as these can increase activity in the nervous system, and interfere with a child’s ability to nod off, so eliminate caffeine-containing foods and beverages before bedtime.
Keep Bedroom Optimized for Sleep
Parents don’t think twice about putting computers, video games, televisions, and other stimulants in kids’ sleep areas. However, these types of activities can contribute to childhood insomnia, so keep them out of children's bedrooms.
Being too hot or cold can lead to the inability to sleep. Try to keep the temperature in a child’s bedroom between 68 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, it doesn’t need to be pitch-black in the bedroom for kids to fall asleep. If a child is afraid of monsters in the closet, put a night light in his room, and leave the bedroom door open just a crack.
Manage Daily Stress
Just like adults, stress can weigh in on kids and cause their sleep habits to go haywire. Daily exercise and relaxation techniques such as deep breathing can help manage stress and improve children’s ability to sleep. Kids need an hour or more of moderate physical activity each day. Practicing yoga with kids can provide a valuable opportunity to combine exercise with deep breathing techniques to help them relax.
Use White Noise in Kids’ Bedrooms
White noise from the hum of a fan can block out distractions, and gently lull kids to sleep. If the weather is too cool for a fan, white noise machines can be purchased in stores, and from online vendors. There are also websites that offer white noise downloads that can be burned to CDs. In some cases, these downloads are free.
Treating childhood insomnia naturally can keep sleep problems from having adverse effects on a child’s health and development. Parents can set a bedtime routine, limit kids' caffeine intake, keep the bedroom optimized for sleep and help kids to stay stress-free to help them sleep better. If drug free methods don’t work, talk to a pediatrician.
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