Sleep has become a big business.  Mattress companies compete by promising the best night’s sleep.  Ads for herbal supplements and prescription drugs are promising a safe, restful sleep.  Psychologists are writing books on how to get our children to sleep, and sleep labs are full of people trying to understand why they cannot get a good night’s sleep.

How can something so necessary be so hard to do?  Eating is necessary and I never have a problem with that!  There are nights, however, when I absolutely cannot get to sleep.  It seems that many of our children are having the same problem.  What’s a parent to do?

Keep in mind that you cannot make a child go to sleep.  But you can create an atmosphere conducive to sleep.  Routine is comforting to young children, so a fixed bedtime and bedtime routine are helpful when children are young.  Reading with your children is a great way to help them relax and get to sleep, and it can instill a lifelong love of stories and books. 

Good sleep habits become harder to maintain once children enter middle school and high school.  According to Judith Owens, associate professor of pediatrics at Alpert Medical School of Brown University, “the literature strongly suggests that early to mid-adolescents need 9 to 9.25 hours of sleep a night.”  So, a set bedtime for your 8th grader is as important as it is for your 2nd grader.

The problem arises when there is a big project due, homework needs to be done, baseball practice runs late, and so on. And then there is puberty.  Dr. Owens says that circadian rhythms of sleep change during puberty, and a child’s sleep time and wake time can shift as much as two hours.  That is why many experts (and teenagers) suggest that the high school day should start later. 

In short, it seems as if life and technology conspire to rob all of us of sleep.  So what can we do to help our children get enough sleep?  For younger children it may be as simple as sticking to a consistent routine, dimming the lights, or listening to some soothing music.  Older children present more of a challenge.  It can’t hurt to limit caffeine and try spending some quiet time together at the end of the evening.  Turn off the TV and the computer, get to bed at a reasonable time and maybe, hopefully, get a good night’s sleep.

Donna Kane, MA, Jewish Community Services, Baltimore, Maryland

Jewish Community Services offers a wide range of supportive services and resources for you and your family. To learn more, call 410-466-9200, or visit http://www.jcsbaltimore.org.  Questions about parenting?  Send an e-mail to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and check out the Parenting Tip of the Week at http://www.jcsbaltimore.org.