What to Do if You Can't Sleep
Sometimes going to sleep can seem boring. There's so much more you want to do. But if you've ever had too little sleep, you know that you don't feel very well when you're not rested.
Some kids have trouble falling to sleep (sometimes called insomnia). Let's talk about what to do if that happens to you.
For kids, feeling scared or worried at bedtime is one of the main reasons for having trouble falling asleep. A kid might be afraid of the dark or might not like being alone. A kid who has a good imagination might hear noises at night and fear the worst — when it's just the family cat walking down the hall.
As you get older, these fears usually fade. Until they do, set up your room so that it makes you feel relaxed and safe. Look around your room from your bed. Are there things you can see from bed that make you feel good? If not, add some. Display some family photos or other pictures that make you happy.
Have you been having any nightmares lately? Sometimes it's hard to fall asleep when you're afraid of having a scary dream. If the fear of nightmares keeps you awake, try talking to your mom or dad or other trusted adult. Sometimes talking about the nightmares (and even drawing a picture of them) can help you stop having them.
Watching scary or violent TV shows or movies or reading scary books before bedtime can give you bad dreams. Instead of doing those kinds of things, think good thoughts before bed. Imagine a favorite place or activity or think of all the people who care about you. Reading a peaceful book before bed (your parent can read to you or you can read to yourself) or playing soothing music can help you have sweet dreams.
Worry and Stress
It can be harder to sleep when you're worried about things. It's easy to feel stressed when you have tests at school, after-school activities, sports, and chores around the house.
If you're starting to feel overwhelmed — like it's all just too much — speak up. Your mom or dad can help you put some balance in your schedule. It may mean cutting out some activities so you have more free time.
A major change in your life or daily routine can easily cause sleep problems. Changes like divorce, death, illness, or moving to a new town can make it hard to sleep through the night. During a tough time, it helps if you feel safe. Try bringing a comforting object to bed with you, like a favorite blanket or stuffed animal.
It might take a while to feel better, so talk with a parent or another adult you trust about what's bothering you. Even if the problem can't be solved, just talking it out can help you sleep easier.
If you feel too hot, too cold, hungry, or crowded, you won't get to sleep like you should. Prevent this by creating sleep-friendly bedtime space:
- Make sure your bed is ready for sleep and relaxing — not so jammed with toys and stuffed animals that there's no room for you.
- Turn on a fan if you're warm or pull on some socks if you're cold.
- Have a regular, calming routine before bedtime, like taking a warm bath or reading.
Getting Help When You Can’t Sleep
Most of the time, talking with your parents or caregiver is all you need to do to handle a sleep problem. They can help you make a relaxing bedtime routine.
But if you are having a tough time getting enough sleep, you might need extra help. That could mean talking to a counselor or psychologist about stress or sadness you might be feeling.
Some kids might have to see a doctor who specializes in sleep problems. Some hospitals have sleep labs, where patients come in overnight to be checked while sleeping to see what might be wrong.
About an hour before bedtime, put away homework and turn off the TV, computers, and other devices, including cellphones. Have a relaxing bedtime routine, like taking a warm bath or shower, reading, or listening to music.
These other tips can help you get a good night’s sleep:
- Write in a journal before you go to bed. This can help clear your mind so you won't have all those thoughts crowding your brain when you're trying to sleep.
- Sleep in a dark, comfortable room. Light tells your body that it's time to be awake, so you want it to be dark at night. But if you are really afraid of the dark, it's OK to turn on a dim night-light. People sleep best when the bedroom is a little cool, but not too cold.
- Don't sleep with a pet. This can be a tough habit to break, but your lovable dog or cat could be keeping you awake. As your pet cozies up to you or makes noise, it could wake you from a peaceful sleep. Try sleeping without your pet for a couple nights to see if you sleep better that way.
- Avoid caffeine found in drinks like coffee, soda, energy drinks, or iced tea. Caffeine is a stimulant and will keep you awake.
- Get exercise every day. Regular exercise can help you sleep, but exercising too close to bedtime will keep you awake. Find time to exercise earlier in the day. .
- Once you're lying in bed, try a peaceful mind exercise. For instance, count backward from 100 with your eyes closed. By the time you get to 10 (yawn) we hope you'll feel very sleepy. And by 5, we hope you'll feel yourself drifting off ... 3, 2, 1, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Nini cha Kufanya Ikiwa Huwezi Kulala Nyakati nyingine kwenda kulala kunaweza kuonekana kuwa jambo lenye kuchosha. Kuna mengi zaidi unayotaka kufanya. Kama umewahi kulala usingizi wa kutosha, unajua kuwa huwezi kuhisi vizuri wakati haupo. Watoto fulani huwa na matatizo ya kulala (yanayoitwa wakati mwingine kukosa usingizi). Hebu tuzungumze juu ya nini cha kufanya ikiwa hilo litatokea kwako. Kwa watoto, kuwa na hofu au wasiwasi wakati wa kulala ni moja ya sababu kuu za kuwa na matatizo ya kulala. Watoto wanaweza kuwa na hofu ya giza au hawapendi kuwa peke yao. Mtoto ambaye ana mawazo mazuri anaweza kusikia kelele usiku na kuogopa mbaya zaidi <unk> wakati ni tu paka wa familia kutembea chini ya ukumbi. Kadiri unavyokua, hofu hizo kwa kawaida hupungua. Kabla ya kufanya hivyo, fanya chumba chako kiwe na mazingira mazuri na yenye kustarehesha. Angalia karibu na chumba chako kutoka kitandani mwako. Je, kuna mambo unayoweza kuona kutoka kitandani yanayokufanya uhisi vizuri? Ikiwa sivyo, ongeza kidogo. Weka picha za familia au picha nyingine zinazokufurahisha. Je, umekuwa na ndoto mbaya hivi karibuni? Nyakati nyingine ni vigumu kulala unapokuwa na hofu ya kuwa na ndoto yenye kuogopesha. Ikiwa hofu ya ndoto mbaya inakufanya usingali usingali, jaribu kuzungumza na mama au baba yako au mtu mwingine mzima unayemwamini. Nyakati nyingine kuzungumza juu ya ndoto hizo mbaya (na hata kuchora picha yake) kunaweza kukusaidia kuacha kuwa nazo. Kuangalia filamu au vipindi vya televisheni vyenye kuogopesha au vyenye jeuri au kusoma vitabu vyenye kuogopesha kabla ya kulala kunaweza kukuletea ndoto mbaya. Badala ya kufanya mambo kama hayo, fikiria mambo mazuri kabla ya kulala. Fikiria mahali ulipo, shughuli uliyofanya, au watu unaowajali. Kusoma kitabu kabla ya kulala (mzazi wako anaweza kukusomea au unaweza kujisomea mwenyewe) au kucheza muziki wa kutuliza kunaweza kukusaidia kuwa na ndoto tamu. Mkazo na Mkazo: Ni vigumu kulala wakati una wasiwasi. Ni rahisi kuwa na mkazo unapokuwa na mitihani shuleni, shughuli za baada ya shule, michezo, na kazi za nyumbani. Kama wewe ni kuanza kujisikia overwhelmed <unk> kama ni wote tu sana <unk> kuzungumza juu. Mama au baba yako wanaweza kukusaidia kupata usawaziko katika ratiba yako. Huenda ikamaanisha kuacha shughuli fulani ili uwe na wakati zaidi wa kupumzika. Mabadiliko makubwa katika maisha yako au utaratibu wako wa kila siku yanaweza kusababisha matatizo ya usingizi. Mabadiliko kama vile talaka, kifo, ugonjwa, au kuhamia mji mpya yanaweza kufanya iwe vigumu kulala usiku kucha. Wakati wa magumu, inasaidia kujisikia salama. Jaribu kuleta kitu cha kufariji kitandani, kama vile blanketi unayopenda au mnyama wa kufugwa. Inaweza kuchukua muda kabla ya kujisikia vizuri, kwa hiyo zungumza na mzazi au mtu mzima mwingine unayemwamini kuhusu kile kinachokusumbua. Hata kama tatizo hilo haliwezi kutatuliwa, kuzungumza juu yake kunaweza kukusaidia kulala usingizi. Ikiwa unahisi joto sana, baridi sana, njaa, au umati wa watu, huwezi kulala kama unavyopaswa. Kuzuia hii kwa kuunda usingizi- kirafiki kitanda nafasi: - Hakikisha kitanda yako ni tayari kwa ajili ya usingizi na kupumzika <unk> si hivyo jammed na toys na wanyama stuffed kwamba hakuna nafasi kwa ajili yenu. - Weka kipepeo ikiwa una joto au vaa soksi ikiwa una baridi. - Fanya jambo la kawaida la kutuliza kabla ya kulala, kama vile kuoga kwa maji ya joto au kusoma. Kupata Msaada Unapokuwa Huna Ulevi Mara nyingi, kuzungumza na wazazi wako au mtoa huduma ni yote unayohitaji kufanya ili kushughulikia tatizo la usingizi. Zinaweza kukusaidia kufanya utaratibu wa kupumzika kabla ya kulala. Lakini ikiwa una tatizo la kulala usingizi wa kutosha, huenda ukahitaji msaada wa ziada. Unaweza kuzungumza na mshauri au mtaalamu wa kisaikolojia kuhusu mkazo au huzuni unayoweza kuwa nayo. Watoto wengine wanaweza kuhitaji kumwona daktari anayeshughulikia matatizo ya usingizi. Hospitali nyingi zina maabara ya usingizi ambapo wagonjwa huja usiku kucha ili kuchunguzwa wakati wa usingizi ili kuona ni nini kinaweza kuwa kibaya. Saa moja kabla ya kulala, weka mbali kazi za nyumbani na kuzima TV, kompyuta, na vifaa vingine, kutia ndani simu za mkononi. Fanya mambo ya kawaida kabla ya kulala, kama vile kuoga au kuoga kwa maji ya moto, kusoma, au kusikiliza muziki. Vidokezo hivi vingine vinaweza kukusaidia kulala vizuri usiku: - Andika katika jarida kabla ya kwenda kulala. Hii inaweza kukusaidia kuondoa mawazo yako, na hivyo kuondoa mawazo mengi ya akili yako wakati wa kujaribu kulala. - Kulala katika chumba chenye giza na chenye starehe. Mwanga huonyesha mwili wako kwamba ni wakati wa kuamka, na hivyo huwezi kuamka usiku. Ikiwa unaogopa giza, unaweza kutumia taa ya usiku. Watu hulala vizuri zaidi wakati chumba cha kulala kikiwa baridi kidogo, lakini si baridi sana. - Usilala na mnyama wa kufugwa. Hii inaweza kuwa tabia ngumu kuvunja, lakini mbwa wako mpendwa au paka anaweza kukufanya usikose usingizi. Mnyama wako anapokushikilia au kufanya kelele, anaweza kukuamsha kutoka usingizi mtulivu. Jaribu kulala bila mnyama wako kwa usiku mmoja au mbili ili uone kama unalala vizuri. - Epuka kafeini inayopatikana katika vinywaji kama vile kahawa, soda, vinywaji vya nishati, au chai yenye barafu. Kofi ni kichocheo na itakufanya uwe macho. - Fanya mazoezi kila siku. Mazoezi ya kawaida yanaweza kukusaidia kulala, lakini kufanya mazoezi karibu sana na wakati wa kulala kutakufanya uwe macho. Tafuta wakati wa kufanya mazoezi mapema mchana. . - Mara tu unapokuwa umelala kitandani, jaribu kufanya mazoezi ya akili yenye amani. Kwa mfano, hesabu nyuma kutoka 100 ukiwa umefunga macho. Wakati wa 10 (yawn) tunatarajia utahisi usingizi sana. "Kama wewe ni mpenzi wa ""Kupiga"" na ""Kupiga"" kwa mara ya kwanza, unaweza kupata alama za 3 na 1 katika ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ