Helpful hints for happy sleep : Sounds Dreamy

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Yorkshire Post Womens Post

Helpful Hints for Happy Sleep

At Sounds Dreamy we think having a little time for relaxation at bedtime is a really wonderful and valuable thing. It helps sleep come more easily…improves the quality of sleep…and enables the individual to awake more refreshed in the morning!!

So here are some things that we and others have found useful to…
help children relax…
help children sleep…
and a few other things to help you get the best out of the bedtime routine generally.
Of course all children…and families are different, so see what works best for your child and for you.

	Starting to slow down the pace of the day a little while before bedtime will help your child ease gently into readiness for sleep. The benefits of this can be built upon by having a similar routine each night…most children are more able to unwind and let go of the activites of the day…with the reassurance and comfort of a bedtime routine.
	One suggestion here is to play the beginning tracks of the Sounds Dreamy CD’s for your child while they have supper…or are in the bath… then play the sleepier tracks when your child is actually in bed. (We have designed our CD’s to be used flexibly…!!)
	What special things would help create a sleepy atmosphere that works for your child…? Soft lighting…or gentle music playing in the background while you read a Sounds Dreamy Sleep Poem for example, will give sleepy signals to your child… that now it’s time to relax… Mmm…ahmm…with a sleepy sigh…
	You might like to guide your child through a simple relaxation exercise just before they get into bed…to help them wind down from the day and feel ready for sleep. This can be something as simple and fun as asking your child to pretend they are a tall tree, or big crane or maybe huge tall building that touches the clouds… ask them to reach up and stretch their arms up high… stretching up…reaching up… up as if their fingers touch the sky… guiding your child to breathe slowly and easily as they do… and then…they let it all go…with a flop and a sigh… like a floppy sleepy rag doll or bean bag teddy… who is ready to snuggle up and go to sleep.
	The deeply relaxing effects of our sleepy stories and dreamy poems really weave their magic if the child listening is lying down in bed with their eyes closed. This helps the outer senses switch off and all the body rhythms to gently…slow…down…into…sleep. It also helps the listener enter more fully into the story or poem…and be carried by the words…into the world of relaxed wellbeing and happy sleep.
	One of the lovely things about relaxation is that it is passed like a smile from person to person. So if you feel relaxed…this feeling will also wrap itself like a gentle blanket around your child… Mmmm…another good reason to allow yourself to feel relaxed… by soft lighting…gentle music… a few peaceful breaths…feeling your shoulders drop… letting go of the thoughts of the day… or whatever other relaxation techniques work for you…
	If your child is experiencing sleep related problems such as bedwetting, insomnia, nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking, sleep apnea or snoring for example…then in addition to the gentle supportive atmosphere that a Sounds Dreamy bedtime story or sleep poem can offer…there are also many other resources available. Here are some useful websites that you might like to visit.

www.sleepnet.com has a very wide range of links and a helpful site search facility.

www.kidshealth.org has a lot of information on kids health generally. It is helpful and interesting for both children and parents.

www.sleepforkids.org this site is intended to appeal to children…also has a useful section for Parents and Teachers in the links section at the bottom of the page.

If there are any other websites or resources that you have found useful on the subject of childrens bedtime…and making it easier…happier…sleepier…
do let us know…we could put the information on our members’ news area.

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Sounds Dreamy Ltd • Windy Gate • Turner Lane • Addingham • West Yorkshire • LS29 0LE
tel: 01756 711164 or 01943 839941 • e-mail: info@soundsdreamy.com • web: www.soundsdreamy.com