Anxiety can show itself in a countless number of ways, and varies greatly from person to person, but one of the most common problems I am hearing about at the moment with children at my therapy practice in Worcester is sleep issues caused by anxiety. Again, this problem differs from person to person, but can include:

• Difficulty in getting to sleep
• Difficulty in sleeping through the night
• Sleep walking
• Night terrors
• Bed wetting

Suffering with one or more of the above issues (or any other sleep problem) can cause many problems for the child during the day, which adds to the anxiety, which in turn can worsen the sleep issues, creating a vicious cycle. Problems as a result of sleep issues can include:

• Difficulty waking/getting up in the mornings
• Low mood/no energy
• Eating too much
• Difficulty in focus/concentration
• Poor memory
• Poor behaviour

If you have noticed any of the above with your child, it is important to try and get to the root cause of the sleep issues. Is there something your child is worried about? Are there problems at school? Have there been or are there going to be any significant changes in the child’s life? It is important to talk any of these anxieties through with your child but most of all to listen to what they have to say and understand what their thought processes are. Be patient. Even if the anxieties seem minor to you, they must be pretty major to your child to be causing issues with their sleep.

There are also things you can do with regards to the environment to help aid your child’s sleep. Here are some of the things that have been successful with my clients at my NLP therapy practice in Worcester:

• Having a good bedtime routine and sticking to it! What this consists of really depends on the age of your child, but the key word is ROUTINE. Keep it consistent every night and ensure your child’s bedtime is appropriate for them.
• Regular exercise. Studies have shown that taking regular aerobic exercise improves the quality of our sleep. It also helps us to fall asleep quicker. The bonus is that exercise also releases endorphins (the “feel good” chemical) in our brains, which will help to reduce the anxieties your child is feeling.
• Create a calm sleeping environment. Ensure your child’s bedroom is not too light and is quiet. A comfortable temperature will also help them to fall asleep more easily.
• Limit screen time before bed. The blue light given off by devices such as phones and tablets tricks our brains into thinking it is still daytime. This means we are overstimulated and will find it difficult to get to sleep. Screens should not be used at least one hour before bed (ideally two!).
• Eating a healthy diet, including limiting sugary foods and drinks, and not eating a big meal right before bedtime can improve sleep quality. A balanced diet also provides us with more energy and makes us feel good – which will also help with any anxieties your child is struggling with.

If you feel your child would benefit from talking to a therapist about the anxieties that are causing their sleep issues, and to learn strategies and techniques that they can use to improve the amount and quality of sleep they are getting, then email joanne@NLP4Kids.org to book in for a FREE consultation at my NLP therapy practice in Worcester.