Sleep at the End of the School Year?

Dear Community,

Are the kids in your life having trouble sleeping lately? Mine sure are. With the school year winding down, one might think they're beginning to relax and look forward to summer. Yes, they are looking forward to summer, but no, they are not relaxing. In fact, more and more young ones and teens are coming into my office complaining they are having great difficulty sleeping - a time when relaxation is critical. They can't get their mind to stop, they can't unwind their bodies, they keep worrying about today and tomorrow. 

With all the stress and anxiety kids are facing - at school, with friends, and even with their families - they are unconsciously programming their own minds to do exactly what they don't want: not sleep.  But it can be turned around. Relaxation, guided imagery and meditaton - all close cousins - are powerful ways kids can learn to sleep by reprograming their minds with their imaginations. 

From my Article archive and in honor of the focus this week on sleep from a wonderful website www.Intent.com

Using Imagery to Create 
A Soothing Blanket of Sleep 

It's the end of the day. You're tired. You've worked hard. The children have finally gone to bed. You're looking forward to some peace and quiet by yourself. All of a sudden you hear the cries of your normally loving youngster: "I can't sleep!" Or, your teen charges into the room and insists that they can't fall asleep because they're worrying about an exam the next day - a recent argument with their best friend - or a problem with their teacher. Wouldn't you like them to learn a technique to help let go of worries and tensions of the day and fall asleep peacefully and easily? 

Guided imagery has been an especially effective tool in alleviating many kinds of sleep disturbances. When children and adolescents have difficulty sleeping at night, imagery can offer a soothing and comforting way to drift off into dreams. Children discover their own solutions by using tools such as meeting a wise 'animal' friend for advice or receiving a special gift to help fall asleep. 

Go to http://www.imageryforkids.com/art_soothingblanket.asp 

for the rest of the article and more ways guided imagery can help your child and the children you work with. And be sure to visit www.Intent.com for many more viewpoints on sleep.

Many blessings,

Dr. Charlotte