Admin 
One of the most significant constraints imposed by modern living conditions is undoubtedly the fact that our children are unable to get the recommended amount of sleep at night. Sleep is a necessary requirement for a healthy life. A certain amount of quality sleep is important for a child’s physical and mental development. The list below offers many suggestions to help your child get plenty of rest. It is not intended to be implemented in its entirety. Instead, I recommend selecting three to five changes that will work for you and your child.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND STIMULI
• Use an alarm clock to help your child wake up. If your child is watching the clock, waiting to fall asleep, and hoping, turn the face of the clock away from them.
• Do not give your child any caffeinated products (e.g., chocolate, soda, tea, coffee, etc.) in the afternoon or late evening. Caffeine may cause nighttime awakenings and shallow sleep.
• Limit your child’s screen time in the evenings and turn off all devices at least one hour before bedtime.
• Restrict or avoid any stimulating activities immediately before bedtime. Keep them away from late-night eating, snacking, and physical exercise.
• Keep televisions, computers, video game consoles, tablets, and mobile phones out of your child’s bedroom.
• If your child wakes up in the middle of the night, do not allow them to play with electronic devices that have bright screens. Light from devices disrupts normal sleep patterns and reduces the likelihood of falling back asleep.
WHAT SHOULD THE SLEEPING ENVIRONMENT BE LIKE?
• Ensure your child’s bedroom environment is cool, quiet, comfortable and cosy.
• Encourage your child to use their bed only for sleeping. Doing other activities in bed (e.g. watching TV, using a tablet or computer, etc.) makes it harder for children to associate their bed with sleep.
• Let your child fall asleep when they are drowsy, but remain alert. Allowing children to fall asleep in places other than their beds may teach them to associate sleep with those places rather than their beds.
• Show your child a security object, such as a stuffed animal, doll, toy, or soft blanket, and ask them to take this object with them when they go to bed. Security objects help children feel safe when their parent or primary caregiver is not in the room.
IS DAYTIME SLEEP NECESSARY?
• Short daytime naps may be necessary in the daily routine for pre-school and school-age children. Daytime sleep can increase attention span and energy levels in young children. Additionally, if your child is not getting 10 to 13 hours of rest per day, it can help them get the total amount of sleep they need each day.
• Avoid using naps to keep your child awake in the afternoon or evening. Falling asleep late in the day increases the likelihood of your child having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep at night.
SLEEP ROUTINE
• Get your child used to going to bed and waking up at the same times every day. Waking up too late and going to bed late on weekends can disrupt a child’s sleep schedule.
• Create a predictable series of activities that signal your child’s bedtime. These may include brushing teeth, taking a bath, putting on pyjamas, listening to soothing music, and reading a story from a book.
• You can keep a sleep diary. You can track naps, bedtimes, wake-up times, and night-time behaviours to identify patterns that may be causing problems throughout the day. This will help both of you focus on specific issues if any sleep problems arise.
RELAXATION-RELIEF
• If your child has difficulty falling asleep before bedtime, guide them through deep breathing exercises and guided relaxation exercises (for example, imagine yourself relaxing on the beach).
• If your child has difficulty falling asleep, encourage them to get out of bed and do something not very stimulating, such as reading a boring book (e.g., a textbook). They can return to bed when they fall asleep again. If they are awake 20-30 minutes after returning to bed, repeat the process. This prevents the bed from being associated with sleeplessness.
• Use positive phrases about your child’s ability to relax and fall asleep: ‘You can sleep.’ ‘You can relax.’ ‘You are safe.’
• If your child has disturbing thoughts that prevent them from falling asleep, encourage them to write or draw in a bedtime journal. Allow them time to express negative feelings in a healthy way.
• Keep bedtime checks short and sweet. The main purpose of a bedtime check is to let your child know you are there and that they are safe.
MOVEMENT-EXERCISE
• Start the day with exercise with your child. Exercising early in the day can help children feel more energetic and alert. It also helps children focus their attention. In the evenings, it helps them fall asleep and stay asleep.
DEMENTIA
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