What You Must Know: Hidden Secrets of Your Child’s Sleep Troubles?
A child’s sleep troubles are one of the many concerns for parents. We often meet parents who are exhausted from wrestling with their child every night.
“What could be troubling them? Why do they keep waking up? Every night, my child cries and throws a sleep fit that makes it impossible to get any rest…”
Stories of parents sighing deeply at night often reach the consultation room at MOM-i. In truth, each child’s sleep trouble has its own hidden reasons. Children cannot express themselves with words, so they use small signals like sleep troubles to communicate their discomforts or needs to their parents. Understanding these small signals is key to helping your child sleep comfortably. As a parenting companion, MOM-i deeply empathizes with such struggles of parents and aims to uncover the hidden secrets behind a child’s sleep troubles. The behaviors your child exhibits every night are not just a simple tantrum but may be signals for help, requiring warm understanding and assistance from parents.
What Could Be the Reasons for Children’s Sleep Troubles?
There are various reasons for a child’s sleep troubles. It’s not simply because they are hungry. Just as our mood can subtly change with the seasons or environmental conditions, a child’s sleep pattern also reacts differently to physical and psychological factors. Therefore, a child’s sleep trouble can appear due to multiple complex reasons.
Firstly, it could be due to hunger or thirst. Children have a higher basal metabolic rate and grow rapidly, so they can often feel hungry. Especially if they didn’t eat enough before bedtime or had an active day, they might wake up feeling hungry. They might need a warm bottle or a glass of water.
Secondly, if the diaper is wet or uncomfortable, a child will find it hard to fall asleep despite being sleepy. A wet diaper can cause rashes and be a major irritant to a child’s sensitive skin. It’s important to change to a clean, dry diaper before bed.
Thirdly, it could be due to fear or anxiety. Shadows, noises, or lights may frighten the child. The vague fear of being left alone in the dark, especially, can disturb a child’s sleep. They might feel anxiety at night due to excessive daytime stimulation or while adapting to new environments. Since children are not as adept at controlling emotions as adults, this anxiety often manifests as sleep troubles.
Creating an Environment for Good Sleep
The child’s sleep environment is also one of the crucial factors. The physical environment should serve as a foundation where a child can feel comfortable and fall asleep safely. If the room is too cold or hot, sleeping will not come easily to the child. A recommended indoor temperature for infants is around 22-24 degrees Celsius. Careful management to maintain an appropriate temperature according to the season and the child’s attire is necessary.
Lighting should be dimmed to avoid interfering with the secretion of the sleep hormone melatonin. It’s good to start dimming all lights 30 minutes before bedtime to help prepare for sleep. If using a night light, keep it at the minimum brightness and place it so the child cannot see it directly.
Additionally, reduce noise to ensure the child can enter a deep sleep without interruptions. Utilizing a white noise machine can be helpful if there is a lot of external noise. Helping a child fall asleep in a comfortable environment will gradually stabilize the child’s sleep. Establishing a consistent sleep routine and maintaining a steady sleep environment provides predictability and psychological security for the child.
Quiet Nights with Parents Become a Child’s Safe Haven
If a child’s sleep troubles are severe, the warm touch of a parent is essential. What provides the greatest sense of security to a child is the presence of a parent. Time spent together in bed lets the child feel that it is the safest space in the world. Holding their hand for a while next to the bed, or softly caressing them, expressing love, can greatly help in resolving anxiety and providing comfort to the child.
Gently singing a lullaby or telling a story in a low voice to provide comfort is also important. When a child hears the voice of their parent and feels safety, they fall asleep more easily.
As one parent shared their experience,
“Previously, I had to struggle for a long time with sleep troubles, but when I soothed the child next to me, surprisingly, they fell asleep easily.”
The sense of stability and security a child feels in the warm embrace of their parents offers a more powerful effect than any sleep environment. A warm word from a parent in the middle of the night, a gentle touch would be a great solace to the child.
MOM-i advises that when starting separate sleeping for your child, there is no need to rush. When a child feels adequately secure through their parent’s voice, scent, and presence, the preparation for independent sleep truly begins. Through this process, the child will feel a deeper bond with their parents and develop a positive perception of bedtime.
Anticipated Successful Sleep Habits
Resolving a child’s sleep troubles requires a lot of time and patience, but through continuous efforts, the child will gradually develop the ability to fall asleep with fewer disruptions. Sleep habits do not form overnight but are a result of everyday little efforts built up over time.
When parents consistently understand and react appropriately to the child’s signals, the child learns to find their own comfort and to sleep peacefully. Spending this loving time with your child can be a great joy for parents. Watching your child sleep peacefully at night is one of the greatest rewards in parenting.
Childcare always offers new learning experiences. In understanding and resolving a child’s sleep troubles, parents and children can create happy times together. A home cam for children can be very helpful in checking their status and preparing for unforeseen situations even after they fall asleep. Just like MOM-i’s recommended parenting tips, childcare is a journey shared together. We hope for your child to sleep peacefully tonight.
A child’s sleep troubles might not just be simple stubbornness, but signals from their young heart. Understanding that heart first and responding warmly is the most important thing. We hope the parenting tips from MOM-i can make your nights with your child a little more peaceful. If you need help, please feel free to contact us.
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