The Sandman Is Not Coming: Sleep-Onset Insomnia In Children

Insomnia is a condition that is experienced by a variety of people and is due to a variety of factors. Insomnia is not a disease, but is a condition that causes sleeplessness, or a combination of not being able to fall asleep and staying asleep.

The individual, upon waking in the morning, feels fatigued, tired and lethargic following their attempts to get a good night's rest. Insomnia cannot be measured in the number of hours that a person sleeps.

A few exacerbating conditions that can trigger episodes of insomnia can include a change in a person's schedule, their diet, stress, anxiety, etc. Not only does this condition of insomnia affect adults, but can also affect children as well.

A variety of sleeplessness amongst the young is known as sleep-onset insomnia in children. When endeavoring to understand sleep-onset insomnia in children it is important to know what this type of insomnia is and to review a few recommendations that will allow children to gain their proper sleep.

What Is Sleep-Onset Insomnia In Children

Sleep-onset insomnia in children can be defined as a condition in which the required major sleep segment of a child's day is delayed using the normal sleep time for a child as a reference. This sleep-onset insomnia in children generally results in the difficulty of awakening the child at the desired time the following day.

Often this type of insomnia is not typically caused by any factors that prevent the child from falling asleep. Sleep-onset insomnia in children is a habit that has been formed by the child and reinforced by the family by not providing a structured sleeping schedule for the child.

Recommendations To Ensure Your Child's Rest

To ensure the health of the child it is important that proper sleeping habits are formed. Therefore, to make sure that sleep-onset insomnia in children does not occur there are some simple steps or recommendations that families can take.

Some of those recommendations can include a strict adherence to a set bedtime for the child. It is important that both the child and the parents are disciplined to ensure that this schedule is adhered to.

Also, to prevent sleep-onset insomnia in children it is highly recommended that activity following the evening meal should be limited to low energy activities. Another activity that may help the child to become drowsy is to enter into a specific routine. This routine can include the taking of a warm bath and the reading of a calming bedtime story.

Another suggestion to help prevent sleep-onset insomnia in children is to avoid large meals prior to their bedtime. Also, it is important not to give the child any caffeine prior to bedtime. In fact, it is recommended that caffeine products not be given to children six hours prior to bedtime.