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“I can’t sleeeeepppp!” We’ve all heard it. The complaining, whining or protesting of a child seemingly unable to fall asleep. According to a recent study conducted by British research ers, kids with ADHD are four times less likely to fall asleep quickly and stay in bed all night. And while a lack of sleep affects all children, its effects can be particularly hard on children with ADHD. There’s a great deal of available research related to why kids with ADHD may struggle with sleep, but most parents just want to know the answer to a single question: What can I do to help my child sleep better?
Here are 7 quick tips for troubleshooting your child’s sleep issues:
1. Empathize with your child. Ask what it feels like when he or she can’t fall asleep and explain that you’re going to be trying some new strategies to help him or her sleep better.
2. Get Enough Exercise. Make sure your child is getting enough exercise, fresh air, and all around social, emotional, physical and mental stimulation throughout the day.
3. Nix the Caffeine. There's surprising amounts of caffeine in soda, chocolate, protein bars, ice cream and even water products like Vitamin Water. Read ingredient labels and work hard to eliminate any caffeine at least 4 hours before bedtime.
4. Have a Consistent Bed Time and Wake Time. It may be tempting to let your child stay up later on Friday nights or sleep in on the weekends, but ultimately that makes it harder to fall asleep and wake up on other days of the week.
5. Have A Wind Down Period. Thirty minutes before bedtime, have a wind down period where videogames, tablets, and the TV are turned off, the lights are dimmed, and the volume on any music is turned down. This will help your child mentally prepare for bed.
6. Consider Relaxation Techniques. Building one or more of these into your child’s nightly routine may help him or her fall asleep faster and more consistently.
7. Make sure the bedroom is set up for sleep success. The ideal sleep temperature is between 60 and 67 degrees. Check the noise level and consider a white noise machine if you can’t effectively soundproof the space. Make sure the room is as dark as possible, and cover up any small lights on electronic devices that may be distracting.
Each of these tips can go a long way to help your child get better sleep. If the sleep challenges continue, talk to your child’s pediatrician or seek the help of a sleep specialist.
See more details on our blog post.
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