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Natural, Stress-Free Solutions to Ease Your Child's Sleep Anxiety

From the Show: Naturally Savvy
Summary: Putting your kids to sleep can be a stressful investment of time. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be.
Air Date: 4/9/14
Duration: 10
Host: Andrea Donsky, RHN and Lisa Davis, MPH
Guest Bio: Lori Lite
Lori Lite, is the founder of Stress Free Kids and author of books, CDs, and lesson plans designed to help children, teens, and parents decrease stress, anxiety, and anger. After helping her own children, Lori understood that her mission was to help other parents and children struggling with stress and self-esteem issues. Her ability to incorporating research-based, stress reducing techniques into a storytelling format has made her award winning Indigo Dreams Series a resource for parents, psychologists, therapists, child life specialists, teachers, doctors, counselors, and yoga instructors.

She has been nationally recognized on Shark Tank, CBS News, and CNN Living. Her sought after practical tips are now available in her new book Stress Free Kids: A Parent’s Guide. Her articles can be found in hundreds of media outlets, including Family Circle, NY Times, WebMD, Real Simple Magazine, Prevention, USA Today, and Dr. Sears. Lori’s titles are also available in Spanish, Apps, and eBooks bringing stress management to Smart Boards and making classroom implementation easy. Her constant upbeat presence on   Facebook  and  Twitter  make her a real-time resource for anyone seeking practical advice for stress free living.
  • Book Title: Stress Free Kids: A Parent's Guide to Helping Build Self-Esteem, Manage Stress, and Reduce Anxiety in Children
  • Guest Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/stressfreekids
  • Guest Twitter Account: @StressFreeKids
Natural, Stress-Free Solutions to Ease Your Child's Sleep Anxiety
Putting your kids to sleep can be a stressful investment of time... some parents struggle for two hours or more.

Lori Lite knew this all too well, as her son battled sleep each and every night. Finally, out of an utter move of desperation, Lori tried introducing some relaxation techniques that she herself had been using.

In essence, she created a story that incorporated "belly breathing" techniques. The characters in the story did the deep breathing, and her son followed suit. That very first night, he fell asleep easily in a mere 30 minutes instead of the typical two hour struggle.

So, why do some kids have a hard time falling asleep?

There are many reasons. A big one is the fast-paced mode that we are all in all the time. You forget to focus on winding down. Sleeping is supposed to be a natural act. Kids can pick up on their parents' anxiety and stress surrounding sleep (or lack of sleep) and they follow in those footsteps.

What are some other techniques you can use to not only procure better sleep for your child, but also yourself?

  • Take distractions out of the room
  • Set a routine
  • Putting effort around the process of falling asleep
  • Check your own anxiety at the door
  • Realize that putting your kid to sleep is a loving, bonding experience
  • Aromatherapy
  • Eye pillows
  • Relaxing music

You can transform your bedtime and your child's bedtime with just a little help.

Lori joins Andrea and Lisa to share her expertise on getting your child to sleep quickly and peacefully, as well as some easy, effective tips you can start incorporating in your household right away.