1. Better rested parents – Dad doesn’t get his head bitten off, kids don’t get screamed at – Peace is restored. You owe it to yourself. A better relationship between you both. The amount of families who tell me prior to working on sleep their marriage was breaking down….
2. Heath and Immunity – If the whole family is exhausted chances are you are all sick, very often. Adequate rest helps the immune system function as it should.
3. Safety – studies have shown that driving whist sleep deprived is the same as driving while intoxicated. Not only for yourself but your toddler/baby. Notice bub gets much more clumsy when tired? More sleep may help you avoid a trip to A&E!
4. Happier kids! So many parents tell me they thought they had a “difficult” child until they got adequate rest. So many “behavioural issues” are actually sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation in children can even be misdiagnosed as ADHD. Poor understanding, problem solving, frustration and lack of interest in anything are all common symptoms.
5. Better appetite/eating habits – babies that are tired do not eat well! I have had clients struggle to help bub gain weight, until they help them sleep! THEN they start gaining weight, and eating more.
6. Muscle development occurs during sleep. Sleep boost the hormone needed for growth. If sleep is fragmented normal muscle growth can’t occur and cells and tissues can’t repair as they should.
7. Memory – can’t function at work? Feel like you gave your brain up for children? You are probably just tired! While we sleep our brains store important information and discard irrelevant information. This is even more important for kids who actually need to cycle through all stages of sleep in order to retain information.
8. Lessening of Separation Anxiety – Is your child always clung to you, won’t let you put them down on the floor and crying as soon as you walk half a metre away? Well rested children cope better with ALL situations than those that are not rested, including periods of separation.
9. More confident parenting – when your child is rested, and you can think clearly you are confident in the choices you make for your baby, you are not always second guessing yourself and parenting is SO much more enjoyable with SLEEP!
10. Language and motor development – so so so many of my clients notice once they get their baby or toddler sleeping they start talking more or start crawling or walking.
