Taken from Chapter eight of Sleepless In America, by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka- In a study conducted by Dr A. Kahn, researchers found that 58% of children's sleeplessness was attributed to little decisions. So what are these little decisions that matter so much? There are four main categories:
1. Irregular schedule
2. Light
3. Lack of exercise or exercise at the wrong time
4. Stimulants
Together they create the ILLS of the night, playing tricks on your child's body clock, and your own. As you review them, think about each individual in your family. How sensitive your child is to the disruptions depends upon her temperament and current tension level. One child might be highly susceptible to even the slightest alterations, while another seems to go more easily with the flow. And when tensions are high, changes that upset the body clock are even more detrimental, because the body is already on alert. High-tension levels combined with a body clock out of equilibrium can make bedtime an event to dread hours before it arrives.
Understanding why our children fight us about sleeping and why they need extra efforts to help them to sleep can help us to have empathy for them instead of frustration and anger. With our empathy and love, it is easier to combat the tension and ills that rob our children of needed sleep. Then we can sleep!!!! We need sleep to be able to have empathy and love!!!!! I hope you sleep well tonight!!!!
1. Irregular schedule
2. Light
3. Lack of exercise or exercise at the wrong time
4. Stimulants
Together they create the ILLS of the night, playing tricks on your child's body clock, and your own. As you review them, think about each individual in your family. How sensitive your child is to the disruptions depends upon her temperament and current tension level. One child might be highly susceptible to even the slightest alterations, while another seems to go more easily with the flow. And when tensions are high, changes that upset the body clock are even more detrimental, because the body is already on alert. High-tension levels combined with a body clock out of equilibrium can make bedtime an event to dread hours before it arrives.
Understanding why our children fight us about sleeping and why they need extra efforts to help them to sleep can help us to have empathy for them instead of frustration and anger. With our empathy and love, it is easier to combat the tension and ills that rob our children of needed sleep. Then we can sleep!!!! We need sleep to be able to have empathy and love!!!!! I hope you sleep well tonight!!!!
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