Child Sleep

November 15, 2016 by Angela Walsh Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving Sleep Tips

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Fall is flying by and the holiday season is quickly approaching. With Thanksgiving only a week away, now is the time to confirm your family’s travel plans and get organized. Whether you are hosting family in your home or traveling to visit friends and relatives, Thanksgiving can mean interruptions to your family’s sleep schedule if you do not plan well in advance. Sleep is key to your family functioning well, and this can be the difference between a happy holiday and a not-so-happy one.

The best way to ensure that your child’s sleep stays on track through the holidays is to adhere to your usual schedule, fitting the celebrations around naps and bedtimes. As parents, we have to be disciplined to get our children to stick to a sleep schedule, and holidays may make this particularly challenging, but it is worth it. Your child will be refreshed for a visit if it happens after a nap rather than instead of a nap. Skipping nap time will lead to cranky children and stressed-out parents in the short term and will mean you have to spend the days after Thanksgiving getting back on schedule.

Bedtime can also be tricky, particularly if you are sharing a house with children of different ages or adults who are still entertaining when it is time for your child’s bedtime routine. The most important thing to do is to allow for more time for your children’s bedtime routine. They have probably eaten differently than usual and may be excited by all of the activity. Some may be sleeping in an unfamiliar place. Even in the best scenario, it can take longer to get them to sleep, so it is best to be prepared.

If you are traveling over the holidays, here are a few suggestions for you to help with sleep and overall enjoyment.

Think through sleep arrangements in advance.
Bring any special security blankets or stuffed animals with you. You may think your child doesn’t need them every night, but in a new place, they can become extremely important.
Get your child involved in the packing. Toddlers love picking out their own pajamas for a trip and adding a few special things to their suitcase.
Travel during a time that works for your child’s schedule, avoiding drives or flights late at night.
If you are driving during a time when your child is usually very active, plan to stop along the way at a playground to give your child a break and a chance to run around.
If you are flying, pack your carry-ons carefully with extra clothes and supplies.
Check airline regulations in advance for rules about strollers, booster seats and other gate-check items.
Most importantly, give yourself extra time for everything: time to pack and prepare, time for travel, and time between activities. Holidays should not feel rushed and stressful.

Let me know if you found this article helpful.

Angela Walsh is a Family Sleep Institute, Certified Infant and Child Sleep Consultant and the founder of Babes in Sleepland. She helps sleep deprived babies, children and families, get back on track and get the sleep they need and desire. To learn more about Angela and how she can help you, visit her website: babesinsleepland.com. Also get sleep tips, the latest research on baby and child products, and be part of her weekly Q and A at her Facebook page: Babes in Sleepland and follow her on Twitter

January 26, 2016 by Angela Walsh Leave a Comment

Should You Wake Someone Who is Sleepwalking?

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Sleepwalking-some of you may have childhood memories of siblings or friends who use to sleepwalk, and you probably wondered whether you should wake them. It is a common misconception that someone who is sleepwalking should not be woken. In fact, it can be quite dangerous not to wake a sleepwalker.

Symptoms of sleepwalking can be as simple as sitting up in bed and looking around. However, these symptoms can become more dangerous to the individual when they include getting out of bed and leaving the room or house.

Other Symptoms of Sleepwalking:

Sleep talking
Takes place during deep sleep,
Little or no memory of the event
Difficulty arousing the sleepwalker during an episode
Inappropriate behavior such as urinating in closets (more common in children)
Screaming (when sleepwalking occurs in conjunction with sleep terrors)
Violent attacks on the person trying to awaken the sleepwalker

Steps to Prevent Sleepwalking and How to Keep Your Child Safe:

Sleepwalking can often occur when a child is sleep deprived. Be sure to keep your child on a regimented sleep cycle so they are not overtired
Keep your child’s room free of tripping hazards and pad any sharp corners that they could bump into
Use baby gates at the top of staircases
If your child is a frequent sleepwalker you may want to continue to use a video baby monitor to keep an eye on their activity
Be sure to keep your front/side/garage doors locked and ensure the lock is out of reach of your child

Many children will outgrow sleepwalking by their teen years. But always contact your physician if you have any concerns

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December 11, 2015 by Angela Walsh Leave a Comment

Child Sleep Cycles

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Thanksgiving has kicked off the holiday season and for many of you that means back-to-back company until the New Year. When the house is full of family and friends it can make it more difficult, not only to get your child down to sleep, but with increased noise in the house, it can cause them to wake frequently. A common misconception with many of the parents I have worked with, is that once their child enters into a deep sleep, they are less likely to be woken up from noise or disturbances. Since it is the season for visitors and noisy homes, I wanted to provide information about sleep cycles that will help clarify this common misunderstanding.

Similar to adults, the nature of your child’s sleep is different during each stage of their sleep cycle, and at some stages, your child may be more prone to wake up from such things as noise or light. Because a child’s sleep cycle is much shorter than an adult (a child under the age of one might have a sleep cycle of 45 minutes) they will transition from light and deep sleep frequently throughout the night.

The National Sleep Foundation provides the following description for the two alternating types of sleep:

Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) or “quiet” sleep. During the deep states of NREM sleep, blood supply to the muscles is increased, energy is restored, tissue growth and repair occur, and important hormones are released for growth and development.
Rapid Eye Movement(REM) or “active” sleep. During REM sleep, our brains are active and dreaming occurs. Our bodies become immobile, breathing and heart rates are irregular.

Below I have attached information from The Brain from Top to Bottom, http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/i/i_11/i_11_p/i_11_p_cyc/i_11_p_cyc.html a McGill University hosted website designed for sharing scientific knowledge about the brain and human activity, that helps to break down the different stages of a regular sleep cycle. Sleep cycles for children are very similar to adults, however, cycles for children are much shorter (lasting about 30-50 minutes) and increase gradually with age.

Stage 1 Non-REM Sleep: Non-REM (NREM) sleep begins when you first lie down and close your eyes. After a few sudden, sharp muscle contractions in the legs, the muscles relax. Though your reactions to stimuli from the outside world diminish, Stage 1 is still the phase of sleep from which it is easiest to wake someone.

Stage 2 Non-REM Sleep: People in Stage 2 sleep are unlikely to react to light or a noise unless it is extremely bright or loud. However, it is still possible to awaken them. But because people go through Stage 2 sleep several times during the cycles in a night, this is the stage in which adults spend the greatest proportion of their sleep–nearly 50% of the total time that they sleep each night.

Stage 3 Non-REM Sleep: This stage marks the passage from moderately to truly deep sleep. During Stage 3, the muscles still have some tonus, and sleepers show very little response to external stimuli unless they are very strong or have a special personal meaning (for example, when someone calls your name, or when a baby cries within earshot of its mother.)

Stage 4 Non-REM Sleep: This stage is the deepest, the one in which we sleep the most soundly. The brain’s temperature is also at its lowest, and breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure are all reduced under the influence of the parasympathetic nervous system.
Stage 4 accounts for 15 to 20% of total sleep time in young adults. The muscles still have their tonus, and some movements of the arms, legs, and trunk are possible. This is the stage of sleep that accomplishes most of the body’s repair work and from which it is most difficult to wake someone up. This is also the stage of sleep in which children may have episodes of sleepwalking and night terrors.

REM Sleep: This is the dream stage. In REM sleep your brain recharges its batteries and records what it has learned during the day. During REM sleep, the brain’s oxygen consumption, which reflects its energy consumption, is very high–even higher than when someone is awake and thinking about a complex cognitive problem. During REM sleep, the body’s inner temperature is no longer well-regulated and tends to shift toward the temperature of its surroundings. Because babies spend tremendous amounts of time in REM sleep, care must be taken to keep the rooms where they sleep at a suitable temperature, so that they don’t suffer from excessive fluctuations in body temperature.

After REM sleep, you either wake up or begin another cycle. With the frequency of your child’s sleep cycle, it is best to try and keep the noise down throughout the night. Because this may be difficult when you have visitors during the holiday season, I suggest finding a room in your home to host your company that is not directly attached, or linked by a common vent to your child’s room. Also, be sure to have a white noise machine, such as a fan in your child’s room, and for extra noise reduction, one outside your child’s room.

Above all stay safe and enjoy this special time of year with family and friends!

Happy Holidays!

Angela Walsh is a Family Sleep Institute, Certified Infant and Child Sleep Consultant and the founder of Babes in Sleepland. She helps sleep deprived babies, children and families, get back on track and get the sleep they need and desire. To learn more about Angela and how she can help you, visit her website: babesinsleepland.com. Also get sleep tips, the latest research on baby and child products, and be part of her weekly Q and A at her Facebook page: Babes in Sleepland and follow her on Twitter

September 3, 2015 by Angela Walsh Leave a Comment

Back-To-School and Back to a Sleep Schedule

It seems like just yesterday we were talking about how to prepare for sleep issues your children may face as they start their summer vacations. As they say, time flies when you’re having fun.

As you can imagine, transitioning a child into “back-to-school” mode after a long summer of fun activities can be difficult on many levels. The recommendation I give to my parents with regards to sleep, is to approach the transition gradually. Progressively changing sleep time slightly ahead, will make the shift much less abrupt for your child.

During the summer months, it’s easy for us to be less concerned about our child’s bedtime. If they didn’t have to get up as early for camp, or if they were having a later afternoon nap, they may have gotten into the habit of falling asleep at a later time. If you transition their bedtime back to “school time” too abruptly, this could cause them difficulty falling asleep, and potentially lead to your child resisting going to bed.

In the few days, or one week leading up to school, begin to adjust your child’s bedtime gradually. Intervals of 15-30 minutes each night is a moderate approach that should be easy for your child to handle. Each night, have your child go to bed 15-30 minutes earlier, and each morning begin getting them up 15-30 minutes earlier, until they are back on track with their school sleep schedule.

How Else Can You Help With the Adjustment?

Start a New Book for Back-to-School
When you are going “back-to-school” shopping, pick out a new bedtime story or novel to read together at bedtime. This may give your child something to look forward to when they go to bed at night. Be sure to tuck them in comfortably, before you begin to read, so they can settle into sleep once you have finished reading.

Keep the Blinds Closed
Because the days are still long in September, be sure to keep your child’s blinds closed when they go to bed. Sunlight can prohibit the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, so make sure their room is nice and dark!

Help Manage Anxiety
Kids going back to school, or young ones heading to school for the first time, may experience some anxiety. This anxiety could be brought on by the change to their schedules, or the thought of the unknown experiences they are about to face. This anxiety may keep them up at night if they are constantly running through “what ifs?” in their head before they fall asleep. Be sure to talk to your child about any concerns they may have, so they can talk things through with you. Speaking with Mom or Dad can often help put a child’s mind at ease. A tip: visually walk your child through their first day back at school. This is an excellent exercise that can help your little one feel better prepared for back to school, and hopefully help to manage some of that anxiety they may be feeling.

Be Consistent
Once your child is back to their school sleep schedule, be consistent with their bedtime. Be mindful of extracurricular activities, as these can often have you and your child busy with activities until later in the evening. Try also to keep dinnertime at the same time each night. This can be challenging, but the more consistent you can be with all activities, the more consistent your child’s sleep schedule will be, and ultimately the better rested they will be.

Your children going back to school, or starting school for the first time is a big adjustment for everyone. In addition to a change in their schedule, parents emotions may be running high as they realize their little ones are growing up. A good night sleep will allow your body to get the proper rest, and recovery required to handle this adjustment in your lifestyle. As you work to regulate your child’s sleep schedule, don’t forget parents need sleep too. My sleep success plans and one-on-one training, can help get your entire family back to sleep. I offer a variety of plans to help suit anyone’s budget or unique needs, and always look forward to working with new families.

Please let me know if you found this information helpful.

Angela Walsh is a Family Sleep Institute, Certified Infant and Child Sleep Consultant and the founder of Babes in Sleepland. She helps sleep deprived babies, children and families, get back on track and get the sleep they need and desire. To learn more about Angela and how she can help you, visit her website: babesinsleepland.com. Also get sleep tips, the latest research on baby and child products, and be part of her weekly Q and A at her Facebook page: Babes in Sleepland.

June 1, 2015 by Angela Walsh Leave a Comment

Tips for Healthy Sleep During the Summer

The days are getting longer, the sun is getting stronger and flowers are in bloom. The beautiful signs of summer time are upon us. Unfortunately while summer is a wonderful time of year, it can create issues for proper sleeping schedules. In addition, the weeks leading up to summer bring with them a high pollen count that can cause irritation for those who suffer from allergies.

Fortunately there are tips to help baby and parent ensure a good sleep during the warm summer months.

Temperature Control:
Do your best to keep the house cool during the night. An ideal temperature for sleeping is between 68 and 72 degrees. Try not to crank the AC too high to avoid creating an unnatural coolness. Many children enjoy the comfort of being able to sleep underneath a blanket, so the idea is to make the house cool enough to allow them to do so comfortably.

For those who do not have air conditioning, keep the blinds closed during the day to help keep the temperature of the room cool. Fans can be helpful to keep the air circulating. Face the fan away from the child’s face to avoid irritation.

Keep an Eye Out For Days With High Pollen Count:
Pollen travels more during warm, windy and dry weather. This can cause allergy symptoms to heighten. The irritating and sometimes painful symptoms of allergies, such as runny nose, itchy eyes and congestion, can make sleeping even more difficult during the spring and summer months. The Weather Network provides an allergy tracking tool on their website that can help parents keep an eye out for days with high pollen counts http://www.weather.com/health/allergy .

Limit Sun Exposure Around Bedtime:
We love any opportunity to get the kids outdoors and being active. Without sounding too contradictory, try to limit the amount of sun exposure your little one gets around bedtime.

Light is an important external factor that can affect sleep, and during the summer it can cause issues in two ways. The longer days we experience in the summer can affect our internal clock and sunlight can prohibit the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.

According to the National Sleep Foundation “exposure to light stimulates a nerve pathway from the retina in the eye to an area in the brain called the hypothalamus. There, a special center called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) initiates signals to other parts of the brain that control hormones, body temperature and other functions that play a role in making us feel sleepy or wide awake. The SCN also delays the release of other hormones like melatonin, which is associated with sleep onset, until many hours later when darkness arrives.” http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/melatonin-and-sleep/page/0/1

Less is More:
As the temperature climbs be sure to remove any heavy winter bedding from your little ones crib or bed. Light weight cotton and other breathable fabrics are better options.

Children who still have difficulty wetting the bed may sleep with a waterproof barrier between their bottom sheet and mattress. Many of these barriers do not breathe and can cause your little one to get warm during the night. There are many breathable, hypoallergenic mattress protectors available on the market that can be a positive alternative.

Since we all love summer and love to be up longer and enjoy the long days, keep in mind that your child still needs to be on a good sleep schedule. The occasional later bedtime here or there because of traveling or family and friends visiting, is ok. But don’t make it a habit. Children can become overtired very quickly and this will lead to problems going to bed at night, waking in the night and waking too early in the morning. If your child still naps, these too can be affected. If you would like information on how much sleep your child should be getting a day, as well as some important sleep tips, please click on this link http://babesinsleepland.com/sleep-science-101-registration/, and then follow the prompts.

Please let me know if you found this information helpful!

Angela Walsh is a Family Sleep Institute, Certified Infant and Child Sleep Consultant and the founder of Babes in Sleepland. She helps sleep deprived babies, children and families, get back on track and get the sleep To learn more about Angela and how she can help you, visit her website they need and desire. : babesinsleepland.com. Also get sleep tips, the latest research on baby and child products, and be part of her weekly Q and A at her Facebook page: Babes in Sleepland.

Thanksgiving Sleep Tips

Should You Wake Someone Who is Sleepwalking?

Child Sleep Cycles

Back-To-School and Back to a Sleep Schedule

Tips for Healthy Sleep During the Summer

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