A hanging mobile with butterflies, action figures, or whatever you like might also help. Once again, these aren’t just for babies! Try not to overload with comfort items, though. If your bed is packed with stuffed animals, it might become a less comfortable sleeping space.
If you have a major fear of the dark, it may help to keep a small flashlight (that isn’t too bright) nearby. That way you can quickly check your surroundings if needed.
White noise machines provide a continuous background sound that can block out other noises without being distracting themselves. Alternatively, you could try using the continuous hum of a fan, a room humidifier, or an air purifier.
The same goes for books—skip the ghost stories and curl up with reading material that is familiar and calming.
It can also help to sketch a picture of your nightmare. It might become less scary when you see it drawn out, and you can even rip up the paper afterward if that helps!
Just telling someone about what is worrying you can be a big relief and might help you sleep better. If stress is a major problem for you, talk to your parent(s) about seeing a licensed counselor or child psychologist.
Also try to use your bed only for sleeping, instead of as your spot for homework, checking your phone, building Legos, etc. This will help you associate your bed with only one thing—sleeping.
It’s also best to keep distractions like TVs, computers, and cell phones out of your room, especially at bedtime. If you have to do your schoolwork on a tablet or laptop in your room, for instance, move the item to another room when it’s bedtime. If you need an alarm to wake up, use a standard alarm clock so you can keep your cell phone out of the area. It’s also best to keep the alarm clock out of reach, so you have to get out of bed to shut it off.
Most people tend to sleep better in a slightly cooler room with blankets for warmth, but you might have different sleep preferences.
If you can convince them to work on establishing a consistent, relaxing bedtime routine along with you, you’ll both sleep better!
In the best case scenario, you’ll be able to convince everyone in your family to adopt their own consistent, year-round sleep schedules. Otherwise, see if everyone can agree to slowly adjust their schedules (for instance, from the school year to summer vacation) over several days or a couple of weeks. That way, the entire household routine isn’t changed dramatically overnight.
Move your bedtime back by 15-minute increments every 3 nights until you start waking up on your own at the right time. Then use this as your consistent sleep schedule.
If you need caffeine to help you wake up or stay awake, you aren’t getting enough sleep.
The goal is to do moderate exercise, which means you’re breathing heavier but can still carry on a conversation. Gym class, recess, and play time after school can all count towards your 60 minutes. Exercising earlier in the day will help to tire you out for bedtime!
Reading an old-fashioned paper book is a far better choice for bedtime!
You might also try deep breathing exercises, meditation, prayer, or simply having a calming chat with a loved one.
It’s great to be able to focus on happy things in your journal, but it’s also OK to write about your concerns or fears. Taking the time to put them down on paper can help to get them out of your head. Just try to end your writing session on a positive note.
Focusing on something simple and inconsequential—like “. . . 62, 61, 60, 59…”—will help clear your mind of distractions and might make falling asleep happen much quicker.
