What to Do if You Can't Sleep
Sometimes going to sleep can seem boring. There's so much more you want to do.
But if you've ever had too little sleep, you know that you don't feel very well when
you're not rested.
Some kids have trouble falling to sleep, sometimes called insomnia.
Let's talk about what to do if that happens to you.
Bedtime Fears
For kids, feeling scared or worried
at bedtime is one of the main reasons for having trouble falling asleep. A kid might
be afraid of the dark or might not like being alone. If a kid has a good imagination,
he or she might hear noises at night and fear the worst — when it's just the
family cat walking down the hall.
As you get older, these fears usually fade. Until they do, make sure your room
makes you feel relaxed and peaceful. Look around your room from your bed. Are there
things you can see from bed that make you feel good? If not, add some. Display some
family photos or other pictures that make you happy. You might even create a mobile
to hang over your bed.
Nightmares
Have you been having any nightmares
lately? Sometimes it's hard to fall asleep when you're afraid of having a scary dream
that feels way too real. If the fear of nightmares is keeping you awake, try talking
to your mom or dad. Sometimes talking about the nightmares (and even drawing a picture
of them) can help you stop having them.
By the way, kids have many more bad dreams when they watch scary or violent TV
shows or movies or read scary books or stories before bedtime. Instead of doing those
kinds of things, try thinking good thoughts before bed. Imagine a favorite place or
activity or think of all the people who care about you. Reading a peaceful book before
bed (your parent can read to you or you can read to yourself) or playing soothing
music can help you have sweet dreams.
Worry and Stress
Insomnia also can happen when you're worried about things. It's easy to feel stressed
when you have tests at school, after-school activities, team sports, and chores around
the house.
If you're starting to feel overwhelmed — like it's all just too much —
speak up. Your mom or dad can help you put some balance in your schedule. It may mean
cutting out some activities so you have more free time.
Big Changes
A major change in your life or daily routine can easily cause sleep problems. Changes
like divorce, death,
illness, or moving to a new town can affect
your ability to sleep through the night. During a difficult time, it helps if you
feel safe. Try bringing a comforting object to bed with you, like a blanket a relative
made for you or a favorite stuffed animal.
It might take a while to feel better, so talk with your mom or dad about what's
bothering you. Even if the problem can't be solved, just talking it out can help you
sleep easier.
Feeling Uncomfortable
If you feel too hot, too cold, hungry, or crowded, you won't get to sleep like
you should. Prevent this by creating sleep-friendly bedtime space:
- Make sure your bed is ready for sleep and relaxing — not so jammed with
toys and stuffed animals that there's no room for you.
- Turn on a fan if you're warm or pull on some socks if you're cold.
- Have a regular, calming routine before bedtime, like taking a warm bath or reading.
Getting Help for Sleep Woes
Most of the time, talking with your parent is all you need to do to handle a sleep
problem. Your mom or dad can help you improve your bedtime routine and help you be
patient while you develop new sleep habits.
But if a kid has really tough sleep problems, he or she might need extra help.
That could mean talking to a counselor
or psychologist about stress or sadness the kid is feeling.
If the kid's not really worried about anything, he or she could have a sleep problem.
In this case, the answer might be to see a doctor who's a specialist in sleep. Some
hospitals even have sleep labs, where patients come in and go to sleep so doctors
can monitor their sleep and see what might be wrong.
Sleep Tips
Because so many people get insomnia, a lot of research has been done on how to
beat it. Lucky for you, right? Not all of these tips work for everyone, but one or
two might help you:
- Write in a journal before you go to bed. This practice clears
your mind so you won't have all those thoughts crowding your brain when you're trying
to sleep.
- Sleep in a dark, comfortable room. Light signals your body that
it's time to be awake, so you want to avoid it at night. But if you are really afraid
of the dark, it's OK to try a dim night-light. And being hot and sweaty or shivering
from the cold can easily keep you up.
- Don't sleep with a pet. This can be a tough habit to break, but
your lovable dog or cat could be keeping you awake. As your pet cozies up to you or
makes noise, it could wake you from a peaceful sleep. Try sleeping without your pet
for a couple nights to see if you sleep better that way.
- Don't drink any caffeinated beverages (like soda or iced tea) after about
3:00 in the afternoon. Caffeine
is a stimulant and might keep you awake.
- Don't exercise at night. Keep your exercise to earlier in the
day — never within a couple hours of when you go to sleep.
- Once you're lying in bed, try a peaceful mind exercise. For instance,
count backward from 100 with your eyes closed. By the time you get to 10 (yawn) we
hope you'll feel very sleepy. And by 5, we hope you'll feel yourself drifting off
... 3, 2, 1, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Date reviewed: September 2015
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