Sleep is essential to your child's health. Unfortunately, many children suffer from sleep problems.
Here's more information about child sleeping issues.
It's estimated that up to 50% of children will suffer from a sleep problem at some point. So, if you have a child, there's a decent chance that he or she suffers from a sleep issue as well.
The question you might have, however, is: what kinds of sleep problems do children typically run into? And, even more, how do you treat these problems?
We're going to answer these questions and more below. Let's get into it.
Common Sleep Problems in Children
There are all sorts of sleep problems that children can run into. Some of the most prominent of these include the following:
Sleepwalking
Sleepwalking is a strange and somewhat disturbing condition that involves a person moving around and completing tasks in their sleep. It affects approximately 33% of children.
Unfortunately, there's not much you can do to end sleepwalking in your child. Waking your child up before the sleepwalking episode begins can help. But that requires vigilance, timing, and, to be honest, quite a bit of luck.
For a child, the best thing you can do to do to counteract sleepwalking is to establish a safe environment. This way, if your child does start wandering in their sleep, they won't run into any danger along the way.
Night Terrors
Does your child ever wake up screaming or hyperventilating? If so, there's a decent chance that he or she suffers from night terrors.
Night terrors are essentially just bad dreams. However, because children have a difficult time differentiating between reality and fiction, they think that what they're experiencing in their sleep is actually happening.
This is a common problem, and it usually goes away with time. Note, though, that if it's happening regularly, it's worth mentioning to your child's pediatrician.
Sleep Apnea
Now, you might be wondering: what is sleep apnea? Sleep apnea describes a situation in which the affected individual experiences breathing disturbances during sleep.
Sleep apnea is known primarily as an older person's condition. It generally accompanies weight gain and is often connected to heart disease. However, on occasion, kids can suffer from sleep apnea as well.
Insomnia
Does your child fight sleep mightily when you try to put him or her down? Does he or she tend to wake up in the middle of the night? If so, he or she is possibly suffering from insomnia.
Insomnia is a serious sleep problem that affects both kids and adults. It not only robs sufferers of much-needed sleep but also affects their mental state, leading to bouts of depression and anxiety.
Treatment for Toddler Sleep Problems
We've discussed some of the most prominent sleep problems in children and toddlers. Now, let's discuss how to treat those problems.
Consistency
A huge part of combatting toddler sleep problems is to be consistent. Put your child to sleep at the same time every day and have him or her wake up at the same time every day.
You should also be consistent in the routine leading up to bedtime. For instance, if you tend to give your child a bath prior to each bedtime, make sure that the bath is happening each and every night.
A consistent routine will create comfort in your child, easing his or her mind and allowing for the calmest and most relaxing sleep possible.
A Comfortable Environment
If you want to inspire the best sleep possible, you have to establish a comfortable sleeping environment. What does this entail?
Well, for one, it's reasonably cool. Just about everyone sleeps better in a colder environment. So, set the temperature in your child's room to around 65 degrees Fahrenheit and no higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
In addition, make sure your child's room is dark. Employ blackout curtains if necessary and try to keep nightlights to a minimum.
You also want to do your best to keep the noise down. One way to do this is to put your child to sleep to the sound of a noise machine. This will create a familiar baseline of noise that will also block out most external noise.
A Food and Drink-free Bedtime
An almost surefire way to have your child up at night is to provide him or her with food or drinks just prior to bedtime. This is almost sure to provide your child with an energy spike, making it difficult for him or her to settle down.
Truthfully, you should cut off all food and drinks at least an hour before your child is due to lay down. This way, all of the caffeine and sugar can leave his or her system, allowing for the calmest transition from awake to asleep as is possible.
Supplements
Another thing you can do to counteract these sleep problems in your child is to try supplements. There are all sorts of child sleep supplements on the market today, from gummies to tinctures to drops and more.
Some of these are targeted toward quelling anxiety. Others of these are targeted to calmness and relaxation. Depending on the problem your child is facing, they could help him or her to fall asleep and stay asleep, providing adequate rest on a regular basis.
Independence
When trying to combat your child's sleep problems, you should always keep independence in mind. The goal is to get your child to do this on his or her own. He or she can't do that when sleeping in your bed right next to you.
So, no matter how hard your child fights it, make sure that he or she is, indeed, sleeping in his or her own bed. Does he or she wake up in the middle of the night? Again, take him or her back to his or her own bed.
Now, this might be a struggle for you as a parent but it's a struggle worth fighting. The more consistent you can be in doing this, the quicker your child's sleep problems will go away and the sooner you can get back to normal.
Get Your Child Through Sleep Problems With the Help of Our Supplements
Does your child suffer from sleep problems? Looking to treat them naturally? If so, you should consider using our supplements.
We're Joy Spring Vitamins and we sell sleep supplements of all kinds. Browse our selection of supplements now!