Sleep Hygiene

• Your child should sleep in the same room consistently, not in a room utilized for most waketime activities. Do not allow your child to use the bed for anything but sleep—do not read, watch TV or eat in bed. Do not use "going to bed" as a punishment.
• Your child should sleep in a cool room, avoid temperature extremes.
• Encourage your child to develop a regular bedtime and get up at the same time each morning, even on weekends. This helps the body acquire a consistent sleep rhythm.
• Adjust the total sleep time to fit your child's age and needs. Please refer to the chart on previous page.
• Plan regular daily exercise for your child, preferably in the evenings using the leg and arm muscles but do not exercise for thirty minutes prior to bedtime.
• Encourage your child to avoid heavy meals within two hours of bedtime; however, a light snack such as milk or cheese or crackers at bedtime may be helpful. Do not give excessive fluids prior to bedtime.
• Allow your child to have no stimulants within eight hours of bedtime (no cola drinks, tea, coca, chocolates; etc.)
• If your child has troublesome recurrent thoughts disturbing sleep onset; write them down with appropriate plan of action. Encourage them to think about simpler less troubling matters, recite rhymes, or think of songs.
• Accept occasional nights of sleeplessness as being normal.
• Avoid giving your child medications for sleep, especially those which contain alcohol.