If you’ve followed me for any length of time, then you’ve probably heard me talk about my 20-year battle with insomnia, vivid dreams, and it taking me forever to fall asleep at night. I share it again just so you know how deeply I understand the seriousness of sleep issues. And that seriousness isn’t any less intense for our little ones, in fact, it might just do their bodies more harm, since they’re still growing, developing and need more sleep than adults do.
I saw some statistics from the CDC from back in 2021 and if they’ve changed I’d venture to guess it’s not for the better. Those stats were that 6 out of 10 middle schoolers aren’t getting enough sleep (9-12 hours) and 7 out of 10 high schoolers aren’t getting enough sleep (8-10).
What was scarier about those statistics is that being the CDC they shared what ailments can befall our kids when they’re not getting the quality sleep they need. Some of these included type 2 diabetes, obesity, attention/behavioral problems, injuries, and mental health issues.
If your little (or maybe not so little anymore) seems to fight you at night. Or perhaps they’re old enough to complain about their lack of sleep. And/or maybe you’ve noticed one or more of the signs of insufficient sleep: low energy, problems paying attention, mood swings, frequently falling asleep. What can you do?
Not unlike an adult dealing with sleep issues, it’s important to create a sleep routine to help support your littles.
establish both bedtime and wake up times
turn off screens 1-2 hours before bed
avoid eating heavy or large meals within a few hours of bedtime
steer clear of caffeine within several hours of bed
keep the room quiet and dark
lower the room temperature
Going even deeper, for my essential oils lovers, create a sleep routine that incorporates essential oils into the mix.
diffuse sleep supporting oils in bedroom
add Epsom Salts and 2-4 drops soothing essential oils to bath
mist a sleep spray or add a drop of oil to pillow
apply essential oil sleep blend on spine or bottoms of feet
My all-time favorite readymade essential oil blends are doTERRA Serenity® Restful blend and Calmer™ Restful blend. Serenity also comes in a 15mL, that’s great for diffuser blends. Calmer™ is from the Kids Line. Regardless of age, both are great, but they were formulated differently, so I recommend trying one for a week and trying the other for a week to see which one seems to work better.
Everybody is different and there’s no real right or wrong, it’s just about finding what works best with the individual’s body and chemistry. The two sleep roller blends below are for those that either enjoy DIYs or aren’t finding Serenity® or Calmer™ doing the trick.
Deep Sleep recipe - in a 10mL roller bottle add 5 drops each: Lavender, Cedarwood, and 2 drops Vetiver, then top with a carrier oil (like Fractionated Coconut Oil). Roll along spine and the bast of neck or on the bottoms of feet, especially the big toe.
Sweet Dreams recipe - in a 10mL roller bottle add 3 drops each: Roman Chamomile, Sandalwood, and doTERRA Peace® Reassuring blend, then top with a carrier oil (like Fractionated Coconut Oil). Roll along spine and the bast of neck or on the bottoms of feet, especially the big toe.
The aroma of essential oils are extremely powerful and not any less potent than topical application. Some people prefer topical application, some prefer diffusing essential oils, while others like the idea of both. My only disclaimer to this is that less is more. If you or your kiddo wind up with “crazy” dreams all the sudden, consider trying one or the other and/or using less topically.
Here are two fantastic bedtime diffuser blends to try. My preference is to use an ultrasonic diffuser that uses water and dispenses microscopic particles of the essential oil into the air.
Slumberland Diffuser Blend – 3 drops Bergamot and two drops each: Frankincense, Lavender, and Serenity.
Lullaby Diffuser Blend – 3 drops each: Ylang Ylang & Cedarwood and 2 drops each: Serenity & Frankincense.
Throughout the process of developing a good bedtime routine and honing in on getting good quality sleep, how you handle the morning can be equally important. Peppermint, Rosemary, Wild Orange, Citrus Bliss, Eucalyptus, Tangerine, Grapefruit and Motive are just some of the great oils you can use individually or mix-n-match to create a Rise and Shine diffuser blend that will put a smile on the entire families faces and put that pep in your step.
Although I’ve been sleeping without issue since the end of 2016 I have not forgotten what it’s like to struggle with quality sleep. So if you’d like to chat, please don’t hesitate to
reach out. You can also search 'sleep' on my website – you’ll find a webinar, a couple ebooks and a few other blog posts.
xoDanette