This Moment Matters: 3 Ways to Use Āyurveda to Improve Your Children’s Sleep
If there’s one thing that links parents and caregivers of children and teens, it’s the shared emotional investment and at times ongoing struggle with establishing quality sleep routines for their kids. Thankfully, there are several wonderful, easy, and supportive things parents can do from an Āyurveda perspective that will help with calming the nervous system and getting their kiddos (or themselves!) to sleep.
Āyurveda practitioner Belinda Baer, who is hosting a workshop at the Center on this very topic for parents of kids and tweens, offers some recommendations for improving your family’s bedtime routine. (We’ll also soon offer a separate workshop for parents of teens!)
Belinda’s Sleep Routines According to Āyurveda
Give one or two of these sleep routines a try with your child. Make sure you implement each strategy for at least two weeks, and during this time note any changes in their nighttime sleep behavior. Some recommendations may have almost immediate effects, while others may take some time before you and your child notice and feel the benefits.
Establish a reliable and reasonable bedtime. (We know you know this one but it really helps. :) )
Try drinking warm, spiced milk at least one hour before bed. This blend of milk — with spices like cinnamon, turmeric, ashwagandha, and honey — helps to soothe the mind and body. Just be sure to offer it early enough that your child is able to eliminate it before bed and doesn’t need to get up to urinate in the middle of the night! (For those with an intolerance to milk, substitutes like almond or oat milk may be used. Chamomile tea can be another reliable and soothing night-time drink.)
Oil the entire body — sesame massage oil is best for sleep — then take a warm bath. If you don’t have enough time or inclination to oil the entire body, then focus on oiling the soles of the feet, and the ears (which, perhaps surprisingly, are a place where we might store a lot of tension). Oiling the ears and tugging on the earlobes can relieve some of that tension, which is especially helpful before rest. Oiling may sound odd from a western view, but give it a try — it can be life changing!
To learn more Āyurvedic recommendations to help your child get a good night’s rest, please join Belinda at our upcoming workshop: Better Sleep Routines for Children (or Anyone!) on June 11.
You’ll learn some basics of Āyurveda as we focus on the valuable tools, techniques, and fun experiential learning that will guide you to establish great sleep routines for your kiddos and yourself!