AM child Sleep

17/11/2025

As many families with a lived experience of ADHD are aware, sleep can be really difficult to manage.

There is a known link between ADHD and sleep problems, with difficulties in falling asleep or staying asleep being most noted. I’m sure that many avenues have been tried to support your child with their sleep, seeking advice, support and even turning to medication just for a few hours rest.

An exciting nationwide research project has been developed for families of children with ADHD who struggle to fall asleep. Interested?

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ct6hoY5VG/?mibextid=wwXIfr

UHS is leading a groundbreaking trial of a digital support tool designed to help children with ADHD improve their sleep.

Developed by experts and parents, Sleep Buddy offers practical advice, sleep plans and guidance tailored to the unique challenges faced by children with ADHD.

📊 Almost two thirds of children with ADHD experience sleep problems. These include finding it hard to get to sleep at bedtime, waking in the night or waking up early in the morning.

🏥 Researchers UHS, the University of Southampton and Southampton Clinical Trials Unit have been working with parents and carers of children with ADHD to develop Sleep Buddy. Families are now being invited to help researchers test to how well Sleep Buddy works in a large trial.

🔗 Find out more: https://www.uhs.nhs.uk/whats-new/press-releases/sleep-buddy-trial-aims-to-help-children-with-adhd-and-their-families

25/10/2025

The benefits of light for a good night...

How are you today? I can’t believe the clocks are going back tonight!

Do you have anyone in your home who really finds getting up hard? It may be that they “aren’t a morning person” or they struggle to fall asleep at night.

If your little person is falling asleep late, as parents, the temptation is to allow them to sleep in the following day.

However, our bodies are designed to be routine driven. We tend wake, eat, drink, use the toilet and go to bed around the same time each day.

Every cell in our body has an internal body clock, which is known as a circadian rhythm. This is “set” at 24 1/2 hours which allow us to have 30 minutes flexibility each day with routines before any effects are seen.

As humans we try to push our body clocks by having late nights, international travel through time zones and not exposing ourselves to enough light through the day.

Whilst altering it slightly may only have a short term impact - such as flying a long distance and experiencing jet lag, if you continue to push it, it can cause issues both physically and emotionally.

If your child tells you they aren’t tired, or will find it difficult to drift off at bedtime. It is likely that they will be afforded a slightly later night - particularly at weekends or during holidays.

Following a later night, you may be allowing your child to sleep in, they will be falling asleep later the following night. This is known as a phase shift, which may be problematic when we return to nursery, school or college.

So, what can you do?

: Late afternoon day light will help. Wrap up warm and play outside. Take this opportunity for exercise and have fun!

: Same bedtime and wake up time each day.

: use cream, yellow or red lights in the house, Particularly in the bedrooms. Any white, blue or green hues in lights will convince the brain that it is still daylight.

: Use bright light therapy in the mornings. You may have heard of sad lamps. They replicate strong sunshine to wake you up and increases your serotonin levels, your “happy hormones”.

Light therapy is the only “sleep aid” I would advocate. Lamps that you use have to be 10,000 lux to be effective and are only required to be used for 20-30 minutes each morning.
You do not have to look at it, just have it close to you whilst you go about your morning routine. It doesn’t just benefit the person who struggles with mornings, it can help the whole family!

Remember, the days are short now, but getting that daylight will help with sleep.

Feel free to contact me for a free 20 minute consultation if you would like support.

15/09/2025

Bedtime anxiety is very common in children and young people.

It can start very young with a separation issue, lead onto a fear of “monsters under the bed”, and may progress to generalised anxiety both day and night.

Your child may display these symptoms as repeatedly getting up for the toilet, becoming angry at bedtime or having a “poorly tummy”.

For older children, they may begin to worry about not getting enough sleep and the impact that will have the following day.

Unfortunately, both anxiety and sleep problems can go hand in hand, with one feeding the other. Neither is your child’s fault.

Your child needs to feel reassured throughout the day that anxiety is a normal “fight or flight response”. The sooner they become comfortable with this concept, the more receptive they will be to any sleep support you can offer them.

- An opportunity to talk about their anxieties during the day, not at bedtime. Please don’t dismiss them as being “silly” - they are real to your child.
- A calm and consistent bedtime routine.
- Allow them to spend time doing a relaxing activity in the hour before bed: colouring, diaries, reading, relaxation or mindfulness.
- Educate your child about sleep.

If you would like support with regards to your child’s sleep concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me for a free 20 minute telephone consultation.

If you are concerned about the level of anxiety your child is displaying, please speak to your GP, school nurse, or health visitor for further advice.