Restful sleep: the right way to deal with fears and worries

Fears and worries can deprive children and adolescents of restful sleep. They stimulate the release of stress hormones, which puts the body on alert and prevents the necessary relaxation. Problems falling asleep and staying asleep with long periods of brooding can be the result.

Younger children between the ages of six and nine in particular often still have a lot of imagination due to their development, which can also give rise to irrational fears, for example of witches or monsters, during periods of rest. By not simply dismissing such fears, but showing understanding and comforting the child, parents create a feeling of security and safety.

Parents should never send their child to bed as a punishment.

This allows the child to relax and fall asleep better. If there are still concerns, parents can also offer pragmatic help - a mattress under the bed, for example, ensures that the monster simply no longer finds a place there, or a night light provides better orientation in the dark.

Anxiety in older children

Older children are more likely to have real fears such as stress at school, pressure to perform, bullying or arguments with family or friends. As a rule, these can't be quickly put aside. Here, too, the children's worries should always be taken seriously, comfort offered and help offered.

In the acute sleep situation, it is particularly important to convey a feeling of safety, security and confidence in order to provide the child with the necessary framework to fall asleep. In the long term, the main aim is to find possible solutions to existing worries and needs. Depending on the issue, this could be clarifying conversations, a tutor, relaxation techniques or even psychotherapy.

And finally, also very important: parents should never send their child to bed as a punishment. If sleeping is associated with negative feelings, this makes it more difficult to fall asleep.