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Sleep plays a crucial role in how we feel, how we act and how we process our emotions. It is vital for brain development and our mental health and wellbeing. For many of us it has been disturbed during the pandemic and in particular during lockdown.
How to help children and young people have the right amount of restful sleep during the pandemic:
Structure and routine:
- For young children: keep a consistent and relaxing night-time routine with time to bath, stories and bed where they fall asleep alone. If they struggle stay with them in the room but don’t interact and leave before they are fully asleep.
- For older children and teens: agree a routine for weekdays and weekends. Encourage a wind-down routine, stop caffeine and vigorous exercise well before bedtime. Help them use audio relaxation or sleep stories if they struggle to sleep. Phones should be off at night and ideally in a different room.
Screen time and gaming:
Screen time increased significantly during lockdown for young people as it was often their only access to learning, friends and social interaction in lockdown. Try and agree reasonable hours on and off screens together with your child, reducing the screen time gradually to allow your child to adjust back to their normal routine. Remember to be a good role model yourself. Some of being a good role model means giving yourself a break too.
Resources:
- Advice and tips for tiredness and sleep in children, including relaxation tips, sleep guidance for different ages from the NHS.
- Advice about sleep and tiredness in teenagers, including guidance on eating, caffeine and exercise and well as how to talk to your teenager about getting a better night’s sleep.
- Advice and tips for teenagers, including Apps, blogs and podcasts for young people and parents.
- Having good sleep hygiene can help your child both to settle to sleep and to stay asleep, advice from Great Ormond Street Hospital.