How to beat back-to-school stress and get a good night’s sleep
Ensure your children get a good night’s sleep with these stress busting sleep tips
Image: Benson for Beds
As children and young adults head back to school this week, Benson’s sleep expert Dr. Sophie Bostock, owner of thesleepscientist.com offers her tips on how to deal with uncertainty, school woes and college worries. As a parent or caregiver, you may be looking forward to the end of home schooling, however change of any kind can be unsettling.
Worry can sneak up on us and have a negative impact on our family’s mental health, so Benson for Beds have teamed up with sleep expert Dr Sophie Bostock this National Bed Month to provide advice on easing the transition from home learning and getting a good night’s sleep.
1. Transition the whole household into the school routine
Set an alarm 15 minutes earlier and stick to it, especially for teenagers! If you struggle in the morning – get plenty of bright light, eat breakfast and go for a walk – light, food and exercise all send a wake up call to the brain.
Read more: 5 ways to protect your sleep cycle during self isolation
2. Get your worries out in the open (but not before bed)
Writing down what is troubling you can be therapeutic. Set aside 20 minutes in the afternoon or early evening to brainstorm any concerns or problems you might have. If it is in your control, make an action plan. For example, if you have lost track of the school uniform or PE kit. If the issue is not something you can be accountable for, acknowledge the worry and let it go. Try to avoid speaking about bugbears before bedtime and instead focus on happy events that have occurred during the day and positive events in the future.
3. Take time to wind down before bedtime
Image: Benson for Beds
Research shows that children who have a set routine before snoozing, for example bathing, reading a book, sharing cuddles before lights out have a better quality of sleep. This is because predictability and familiarity calm any anxiety on the mind and improve readiness for sleep. The same applies to us adults too.
Read more: How to beat pandemic stress and get a good night’s sleep
Watch Dr Bostock deliver her top tips in this video on Instagram
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