Day Thirteen: The Power of Sleep

Not surprisingly, sleep plays a huge role in emotional regulation.  A lack of sleep increases stress and anxiety, which in turn can affect sleep.  Anger, irritability, and depression also increase with a lack of sufficient sleep.  Memory and concentration problems, which create a cycle of frustration leading to angry responses, can also be connected to sleep problems.

When I work with clients, whether they are children or adults, one of the first issues we discuss is sleep regulation.  Frequently, parents (and grandparents caring for children) are amazed at how gradually adjusting and increasing sleep can result in decreased problems with behavior and emotional regulation.

Changing sleep patterns and/or increasing sleep can be difficult, and sometimes takes months to accomplish.  Gradual changes and attention to environmental details are key.

• Keep track of environment leading up to bedtime.  Slowing things down (both for adults and children) about an hour before bedtime can start to signal the brain that sleep is coming.
• Develop routines in the hour leading up to bedtime.  Predictable routines also signal to the brain that sleep is coming.
• For adults, if eliminating caffeine isn't possible, eliminate caffeine in the last part of the day.  And it seems like a no-brainer, but children should never have caffeine.  It not only interferes with their sleep, it also contributes to unhealthy development of neural pathways in the brain through periods of hyperactivity followed by periods of exhaustion and low energy.
• Find activities other than TV or screen time in the hour or hours leading up to sleep.  Light affects the chemicals responsible for healthy sleep patterns.  Many adults and children fall asleep to television, interfering with the production of brain chemicals which signal sleep. 
• Changes in sleep times can also interrupt quality of sleep and should be made gradually.  Start by waking up earlier, then gradually move bedtime forward by 10 or fifteen minutes per week.  This works for both adults and children.
• If sleep (or lack of) is an issue in your life, set aside a block of 2-4 weeks to adjust environment and sleep times.  Eliminate evening engagements, visits from family and friends, etc. while these changes are happening.
• Seek medical advice if necessary.  Sleep isn't always an environmental issue.

Sleep can be a huge contributor to the ability to emotionally regulate.  If you notice that a lack of sleep is a problem, begin making adjustments.  Sleep is a powerful tool in combating problems related to stress and emotional regulation.