In the daily raising of parents, sleeping children is a common and headache. Especially when the child is unusually excited at night and does not want to fall asleep, many parents often feel at a loss. This seemingly troublesome situation actually hides a mysterious sleep mystery: hormone secretion.
The role of hormones and the moment of falling asleep
Falling asleep isn't just about lying in bed and closing your eyes, it's a complex process of multiple hormones working together. Melatonin is responsible for determining when we fall asleep, ensuring that we choose the right time and safe place. Adrenaline and cortisol, on the other hand, are responsible for keeping the brain awake and limbs alert when you fall asleep. Before the age of 3, the child's brain and hormone secretion are still in the perfect stage, and it is easy to fall into the sleep trap that seems to be excited but is actually sleepy.
When a child becomes abnormal at a time when they should be asleep, it is likely to be the result of hormone production. The excitement that a child shows is actually a sign that the body is secreting more adrenaline and cortisol in order to stay awake and alert. These hormones fill your child with energy, and combined with the lights and sounds of talking in the house, it can be difficult for your child to calm down and fall asleep.
The dangers of the sleep trap and the vicious circle
For children aged 0-3 years, overexcitement before bed can trigger a "sleep" phenomenon that turns sleep into a battle. This is undoubtedly a test of physical strength and patience for parents who are responsible for putting them to sleep. For preschool children over the age of 3, sleeping late can lead to a range of problems, including limited height development, decreased concentration, weakened cognitive abilities, and irritable mood.
Children who often go to bed late tend to fall into a vicious cycle of sleep, especially during school, where they don't sleep at night but have to get up in the morning, resulting in insufficient sleep time throughout the night. During the holidays, a chaotic life schedule will bring more trouble to parents, because the children's eating, playing, and sleeping time will be disrupted. As school begins soon, parents have to spend energy readjusting their children's schedules.
Four factors that trigger excitement
In order to understand why children are excited at night and help them fall asleep at the right time, we need to focus on four factors that can easily turn a child's tiredness into excitement before bedtime:
Falling asleep without sleep signals: Falling asleep requires some specific signals, such as dim lighting and a peaceful environment. However, in families, it is not uncommon for parents to go off work and when their children go to bed, so the sounds of coming home cannot calm the children.
Children with separation anxiety: Children often look forward to their mother's return home during separation anxiety. This waiting can make the child deliberately awake and unwilling to fall asleep.
Accumulation of too much tiredness due to not sleeping well during the day: If your child does not sleep well during the day and the tiredness is not completely relieved, he may explode into a state of excitement at night. On the other hand, if you sleep too long during the day, it will be difficult to fall asleep at night.
Family members like to play with their children before bedtime: Some family members like to be teased by their children before bedtime, mistakenly believing that this is "discharging" their children. However, the more you tease, the more excited your child becomes, and the less likely he is to fall asleep.
Cooling: Calm your child down at the right time
How can you solve your child's sleep trouble and reduce their excitement? Here are some practical solutions:
Cool your child 1 hour earlier: Don't start preparing until it's time to go to bed, start cooling down 1-1.5 hours early to make sure you have enough time. For example, for a 3-6-year-old child, if you want him to fall asleep at 21:00, then it is more reasonable to start turning off the lights at 20:30 and start cooling down at 19:30.
Use conditioned reflexes to set a bedtime routine: Establish a fixed bedtime routine to form a conditioned reflex. This can include washing, changing clothes, reading, etc. Don't change processes too often, creating confusion and uncertainty for your child.
Get support from your family: If your parents are at work at the same time as your child goes to bed, discuss it and don't disturb your child who is falling asleep. Parents can avoid entering with the bedroom door closed, or greet their children with a peaceful ceremony, such as reading a book.
Charge your child during the day: Take your child outdoors during the day and make sure they get enough exercise. Sufficient exercise helps to maintain a good biological clock, promotes a virtuous cycle in children, and makes eating, playing, and sleeping more regular.
Conclusion: Companionship and science to sleep
On the road to sleep, understanding the law of hormone secretion and using scientific and reasonable cooling techniques is the key to ensuring a good sleep for children. By preparing in advance, establishing a routine, getting family support, and getting enough outdoor activities during the day, we can effectively avoid the pitfalls of bedtime excitement and cultivate good sleep Xi in children.
Parental companionship and understanding are also crucial in the process of falling asleep. With the help of scientific methods, we are better able to guide children to sleep quietly at the right time, creating a safe and comfortable environment for them to sleep. Through the right cooling technique, we can better care for the healthy growth of children, and at the same time reduce the fatigue of parents, so that sleep becomes a pleasant and warm parent-child time.
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