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TSCare TSCare

How to get to sleep Your sleep is what you eat Sleep has often been a
problem for Jackie
Murray (29) from

Tired of struggling to get Stirlingshire, who was
diagnosed with TSC at
your child to sleep? Did you realise that what poultry, eggs, peanuts and tuna.
you are eating might be There is magnesium in spinach, 12. But she’s recently
Vicki Dawson, CEO of The affecting your sleep? Our bananas, nut, seeds, fish and made some changes
Children's Sleep Charity, offers Head of Support and wholegrains. that have improved her
some tips on helping them Information Services, • A carbohydrate-rich snack in sleep
doze off. Clare Kassa, offers some the evening, such as a bowl of “I have tumours on my brain,
cereal or a few oatcakes an hour
Sleep problems are extremely common pointers before going to bed. lesions on my skin and
in childhood but The Children’s Sleep nodules on both my kidneys. I
As well as having an enormous don’t have seizures but I
Charityis helping families to get a better night’s sleep. Through effect on our wellbeing and how • Herbal teas, such as camomile
introducing small behavioural changes, the charity sees a 90% success or valerian. Or some brands now struggle with numbers and
we cope with stress, what we eat suffer from social anxiety. I am
rate in improving sleep patterns. If you’re struggling, you could try some offer a special bedtime brew.
can also influence our sleep. If I’m
of these suggestions: a big worrier, plus I am not
you’re struggling to get a good And, if you can, avoid these: able to work, so I don’t have a
• Stick to a routine: Routine helps our body clocks to stay on track, so night’s rest, you could try adding • Caffeinated drinks like tea and set daily routine. All this has
decide on a realistic bedtime and if your child isn’t falling asleep until late, some of these sleep-inducing coffee. cutting made it difficult for me to
try moving bedtime back by 15 minutes every three nights. Consistency foods into your diet: sleep at times.
is important too, so develop a routine that begins 60 minutes before bed • Too much alcohol. It may help
• Anything that’s high in calcium down on Recently, I have made changes
and do this every evening. Wake up times should also be the same every you fall asleep but means you
and magnesium. Calcium helps
day, even at the weekend. are more likely to wake up in the to my lifestyle that have
you convert tryptophan (an helped me to sleep better. I’ve
middle of the night.
• Wind down with games: Fine motor skill activities, such as jigsaws, amino acid) into melatonin, chips started drinking herbal and
threading activities and model making, can help promote relaxation and while magnesium helps regulate • Sugar. It can be a stressor on the fruit teas, especially camomile
make ideal pre-bedtime choices. Put suitable items in a box and bring it it. Trytophan is found in yogurt, body and cause sleep issues. tea, choosing healthier food
out in the hour before bed. milk, cheese, oats, bananas, options and trying out new
recipes. I’m cutting down on
• Introduce screen-free time: Avoid televisions, mobile phones and
chips and eating more rice
computer activities in this hour. It will help your child to produce
instead, and eating much
melatonin, the sleep hormone that makes them feel drowsy.
There are things you more fruit and veg.
• Give them snoozy food:Food can do to help you I’ve been walking in the fresh
packed with calcium, like yoghurt air every day and singing, in a
and cheese, makes a great supper- sleep better. choir and on my own, as often
time snack. Swap caffeinated as possible. It’s something I
drinks, like cola, for water and keep You can change what
an eye on sugar levels too. really enjoy and am good at,
you eat and spend plus it takes me out of myself
• Let the outside in: Spending time and makes me forget all my
in natural daylight can keep our time outdoors. problems.
body clocks in sync, so open the
At bedtime, I try to wind down
curtains each morning and, if
with a book or some TV with
possible, encourage your child to
my two cats Belle and Ginni. I
go outdoors.
put lavender oil on my pillows
To find out more, go to www.thechildrenssleepcharity.org.uk and use a nightlight, as I don’t
like the dark.”

8 Summer 2018 TSA SCAN 9