Sleep Soundly

I set up Sleep Soundly some years ago and I work with families of children aged 6 months - 18 years whose children are having sleep difficulties.

22/06/2022

Sleep problems in the family can have negative effects on siblings...

▶️Sleep deprivation.
▶️Jealousy.
▶️Behavioural problems.
▶️Learned behaviours

17/06/2022

Effects of sleep deprivation on a child -

▶️Impaired cognitive function
▶️Impaired immune system.
▶️Impaired emotional regulation.
▶️Hyperactive behaviour.
▶️Impaired growth.
▶️Poor eating habits.
▶️Daytime sleepiness.
▶️Impaired learning and memory

13/06/2022

Did you know that sleep deprivation cost the UK economy more than £40 billion a year. That is 1.86% of GDP!

08/06/2022

Sleep acts to boost the activity of immune cells, plays a role in balancing hormones, and acts as a detox for the brain washing out toxins that built up during the day, and is restorative

06/06/2022

Expectations vs Reality...
Parents are often told that babies will sleep when they are tired, will follow a schedule, sleep through the night from 6 months old, or earlier and will naturally sleep train themselves...the reality is not really so clear...

03/06/2022

REM sleep is the sleep in which we most commonly experience vivid dreams, often with emotional content, although vague dreaming can also occur in other stages of sleep

01/06/2022

Sleep plays a vital role in the mental and physical development in infants. Full term babies have a sleep cycle of around 50-60 minutes, and these develop over time to eventually become 90 minute sleep cycles

27/05/2022

Sometimes when sleep doesn't happen easily, breathing and relaxation exercises may help.

11/05/2022

as far as we can tell, babies spend the majority of their time in the womb sleeping. Between 38 and 40Trusted Source weeks gestation they’re spending almost 95 percent of their time sleeping

09/05/2022

Regular napping in tandem with a healthy sleep schedule can improve the following:

Language skills: Adequate sleep and a healthy nap schedule are believed to positively influence language acquisition and vocabulary growth in infants and toddlers.

Memory consolidation: Studies suggest a refreshing midday nap can help young children process and consolidate memories from earlier in the day.

Motor skills and reaction time: Preschoolers who nap on a regular basis tend to exhibit stronger motor function and faster reaction time compared to those who don’t

06/05/2022

How long do children need to sleep for? A quick rule of thumb is;
1-2 years average 12 hours, 3-5 years average 11 hours, 6-13 years average 10 hours, 14-17 years average 9 hours. There will be large NORMAL variations either side of this, but this is a good starting point to consider

02/05/2022

In children, sleep can impact the following:

Attention: Sufficient sleep can improve attention and alertness in children, especially those who have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Mood: Children with sleep problems are more likely to show signs of low mood and, in turn, display behavioral problems.

Cognitive functioning: Children who do not get enough high-quality sleep may perform poorly with cognitive tasks compared to their more well-rested peers.

Academic performance: Inadequate sleep and poor sleep quality can negatively affect learning and memory, and are two common factors for children and adolescents who perform poorly in school.

29/04/2022

Should I use a weighted blanket to help my child sleep? NO! You should not use a weighted blanket without the advice of a qualified Occupational Therapist. OTs are trained to assess children for sensory issues, and to make recommendations based on the assessment of the individual child. There is not strong evidence that weighted blankets help with sleep problems, and much more importantly there could be a serious risks to the child’s safety.

If you want to know more, just type “weighted blankets for children” and “NHS” into google and you will find a studies which conclude that weighted blankets make no real difference to sleep, even in autistic children, and you will also find varies NHS Trusts advice on the use of weighted blankets for children.

Please share this post, because more parents, and professionals working with families need to be aware of the issues surrounding the ever increasing use of weighted blankets in children.

20/04/2022

Children with ADHD often struggle to fall. In some cases this is due to the body's release of the sleep hormone melatonin being delayed.
As a trained Paediatric Sleep Practitioner you could help children with ADHD to fall asleep more easily

18/04/2022

Ensure daytime light exposure: Getting exposed to bright light during the day helps to synchronize circadian rhythms and promotes sleepiness at bedtime. Make sure your child gets plenty of bright, natural, daytime light.

15/04/2022

Sunshine may play a role in regulating hormones and sleep patterns by affecting the melatonin circadian rhythm. Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland, from the chemical melanin. Melanin is produced in the skin through sun exposure. Melatonin helps with inducing sleep.

11/04/2022

Where children sleep, when they sleep and who they sleep with is purely cultural

08/04/2022

It is important as a parent that you get good quality sleep as well. There are some small changes you can make that will help with this such as

• Avoid caffeine before bed
• Take a warm bath
• Lower your room temperature
• Wear an eye mask
• Darken your room

Address

Southampton

Telephone

+447599412377

Website

http://www.sleep-soundly.co.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Sleep Soundly posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Sleep Soundly: