Students should avoid caffeine after 2:00 PM to get a good night’s sleep. Caffeine has a half-life of six hours. What this means is even after six hours (8:00 PM), half the caffeine they drank is still in their body.
Light Exposure
Light exposure and action from video games and social networking can rev up the brain, disrupting the body’s daily rhythms that make kids feel drowsy close to bedtime. All technology should be turned off an hour before bed.
Symptoms of a Sleep-Deprived Child
Symptoms of a sleep-deprived child:
- Has frequent meltdowns
- Acts wild
- Has trouble staying focused
- Loses it over little things
- Seems more clumsy
- Performs poorly on tasks you know they can usually do
- Has trouble waking up in the morning
- Craves carbohydrates
- Picks on siblings
ADHD Insomnia & Melatonin
If your child has sleep issues due to ADHD and the other sleep suggestions from yesterday do not work, there is another option. Students may benefit from the hormone supplement melatonin to induce drowsiness. Melatonin is produced naturally in the brain as the sun goes down, signaling that bedtime is coming within a few hours.
The theory is that taking this supplement may help people with true insomnia fall asleep. Ask your doctor before trying this option and only use it as a last resort.
Fixing Sleep Problems & ADHD
Some children’s sleep problems can be fixed with a set bedtime and calming routine at night. This involves up to an hour before bedtime dimming lights, avoiding computer/cell phone screens, a warm bath, or quiet activities such as reading. These methods can help all children including those with ADHD fall asleep.
Check here tomorrow for what you can do if your child suffers from ADHD and still has difficulty sleeping even after trying these suggestions.
ADHD Sleep Problems
As more kids are diagnosed with ADHD, parents need to deal with their student’s major sleep problems. Prescription stimulants to treat ADHD have contributed to sleep problems in children. Sleeplessness is a common side effect that often occurs either from the drugs themselves or as the drugs wear off at night, which triggers more hyperactivity.
Tomorrow we will look at some ways to help children with ADHD treat their sleep problems.
How Much Sleep Is Needed Each Night?
Elementary age children need 10 – 11 hours of sleep per night and teens need 8.5 – 9.25 hours to optimize learning. Lack of sleep can affect your child’s ability to process, learn and retrieve information.
Seasonal Allergy Tip #1 – Bedtime
Seasonal Allergy Tip #1: Shower before bedtime to avoid bringing allergens to bed.
Seasonal Allergies
These days noses are running, eyes are puffy and throats are scratchy. It is allergy season. Allergens are what cause those uncomfortable symptoms. They are common yet harmless items such as pollen, mold spores and dust. Allergens are what make people who have allergies sneeze, wheeze, cough or have other symptoms. Allergies are also a common trigger for asthma symptoms. Check back here over the next several days to find ways to keep seasonal allergies under control.
Behavioral Problems With Children: Sleep Apnea
Often treating sleep apnea in children results in an improvement of behavioral problems.