Cloud b "Sleep Training" Toy

Did you know that 1 in 4 children have some kind of sleep problem?
If many children are sleep deprived, it means that adults are not getting enough rest and are tired. Children learn lifestyle habits from adults, so it is important for adults to help them establish good sleep habits.

My name is Kim West and I am better known in America as "The Sleep Lady."

I am a mother of two and have been working as a children's sleep therapist for about 19 years. Although each child has different issues, I would like to introduce five common issues that I see. Many families have the same issues as you.
Don't try to think too much about it alone, let's solve it together.

#1 Your child wakes up too early

Adults don't feel stressed if they can get up early together with their children, but if children get up earlier than their own wake-up time, adults have to force themselves to get up at the same time, which can cause fatigue and stress. There are several common reasons why children wake up early, and by identifying these reasons, you can solve the problem.

Reason 1: Sleeping late

It may not seem logical, but going to bed later will cause your child to wake up earlier. Children under 7 need more sleep, so the later they go to bed, the earlier they tend to wake up. Children up to 9 years old need at least 10-11 hours of sleep. Work backwards from the time they wake up to determine their bedtime. If a 5-year-old needs 11 hours of sleep and wakes up at 7, you will need to get them to bed at 8.

Reason 2: Staying awake for too long

If the gap between an afternoon nap and evening bedtime is too long, your child may become tired and not be able to sleep well. Ideally, there should be around four hours between naptime and evening bedtime.

Reason 3: Not taking enough naps

A short nap or no nap at all can lead to poor nighttime sleep. It may sound counterintuitive, but taking away the time from naps will not result in a lot of sleep at night. The average age at which children stop napping is between 3 1/2 and 4 years old. Until that age, allow plenty of time for naps.

Reason 4: You're already sleepy when you go to bed

If you soothe your child until they get sleepy, hold them, or sleep next to them, you may be doing too many things and hindering the child's ability to fall asleep on their own. If your child wakes up on their own at 5am, they will not be able to fall asleep on their own even if they try to go back to sleep. It is better to prepare your child for bed before they get sleepy and practice going to sleep now, so that they will be able to fall asleep on their own.

Cause 5. Sleep apnea syndrome

Sleep apnea caused by enlarged tonsils or pharyngeal tonsils can cause sleep disorders. Signs of sleep apnea include constant movement during sleep, snoring, loud breathing, and sweating during sleep.
If you are concerned that your child may have sleep apnea,
It is important to see a pediatrician immediately.

#2 Not taking naps. If I do take a nap, I wake up right away.

Children feel stressed if they can't take a good nap. As a result, nap times change frequently, and adults also feel stressed when trying to get their child to sleep. Here are some tips for making naps successful.

・Don't overlook the signs of sleepiness

If your child starts rubbing their eyes, yawning, or losing interest in toys,
It's a sign of sleepiness. If your child only takes one nap a day, such as a toddler or preschooler,
Your child will feel sleepy after lunch or about six hours after waking up in the morning. Prepare for a nap when your child is most likely to fall asleep.

- Form a routine before you go to sleep

For example, by consistently performing routines before falling asleep, such as "changing a diaper, reading a book, having skin-to-skin contact, and going to bed while awake," the brain and body will learn the habit of sleeping.

Create a room environment suitable for sleep

It is also important to block out outside noise by keeping the room dark, at a comfortable temperature, and playing soothing sounds.

- Taking a nap at home

We know that every day is busy, but one trick is to adjust your schedule so that you can let your child nap in the safe environment of your own home.

・Learn the act of "getting up"

If your baby continues to refuse to sleep, try leaving him alone in the room for a minute and then appearing to "wake him up" in a dramatic way. This way, he will think that he is "waking up" because it's time, not because he is fussy. At his next nap, don't miss any signs of sleepiness and put him to sleep, and when the time comes, try waking him up in the same way. Another tip is to always get into the habit of "waking up" in the same way.

・Go to bed early

Ideally, babies should be in bed by 7pm.
It may seem fast, but it's true!

・Habit number one, habit number two

It's important to have a schedule and stick to it, doing the same things at the same times and then going to bed.
There is little need to change the schedule until the age of three.
Bath, brush teeth, change clothes, read to them, and then go to bed. This helps to create a routine for falling asleep.

#4 Lack of consistency

The key to bedtime training is consistency. If you don't follow a consistent schedule, schedule, or atmosphere, it can be stressful and confusing for your child, and they won't get much sleep.
The most important thing for sleep training to be successful is to be more consistent than you've ever been for yourself. The key to success is to get other adults involved to talk about sleep training your child, decide how to sleep train them, and be consistent in the same way.

#5 You continue to sleep with your partner

Even if you decide to train your child to sleep, plan it, and try to be consistent, you may end up sleeping with your child because he or she sleeps better when you sleep together. This is something that tends to happen even if you think, "Today is the day to start sleep training!" If you sleep with your child, please pay attention to the following points.

・For the safety of your baby, choose a mattress for the baby's crib that is a little on the firmer side. Adult mattresses and futons can be too soft and cause children's bodies to sink in. For safety, make sure there are no sheets around the baby that can get tangled when it rolls over, or pillows or cushions that can cover the baby's face.

- Heavy blankets and fluffy comforters can be dangerous if they cover the face or body of a sleeping child and the child is unable to remove them by himself/herself, so choose a lighter blanket or remove the comforter altogether.

・If your baby sleeps in a bed, make sure there are no gaps between the bed and the wall or between the mattresses that the baby could get stuck in. If there are gaps, attach the mattress to the wall or furniture so that it does not move and there is no danger.

-Adults should wear plenty of clothing so they can sleep even without lots of bedding.
When it's cold in the middle of the night, you may be tempted to cover yourself with a blanket, but it can be very dangerous to cover your baby with a blanket as well.

Babies sleep best and most comfortably next to their mother. Although mothers are often light sleepers, it is important to give your baby as much attention as possible and to feed him or her during the night if necessary.

・If you sleep in the same room, place the baby's crib next to the adult bed or futon and start sleep training. Little by little, your baby will be able to sleep on his or her own.

Create a sleep training plan for your child and try sleep training so that both children and adults can get a good night's sleep.
There are also many books and toys available to help with sleep training, so make use of them.