Sleep is essential for a child’s emotional regulation, learning, behaviour, and overall development.
From an Occupational Therapy perspective, sleep challenges are rarely behavioural alone. Instead, they are often linked to how a child’s nervous system processes sensory information, manages emotions, and transitions between activities.
Understanding why a child struggles with sleep is the first and most important step in choosing effective strategies.
Why Do Some Children Struggle With Sleep?
Children may experience sleep difficulties for many different reasons, including:
• Sensory Processing Differences
• Difficulty with Emotional Regulation
• Challenges with Transitions
• High Levels of Arousal or Low Body Awareness
• Other Environmental Factors
Why Understanding the Cause Matters
Not all sleep strategies work for all children.
For example:
• A child who is sensory seeking may need “heavy work” before bed
• A child who is sensory sensitive may need reduced stimulation
• A child with anxiety may need emotional reassurance, not stricter routines
When strategies don’t match the underlying cause, families often feel frustrated and exhausted.
Although general sleep strategies are helpful, identifying the “why” allows strategies to be more effective and supportive for the child and family.
General Sleep Strategies
These strategies support sleep regardless of the underlying cause:
1. Create a Consistent Bedtime Routine
- Follow the same order every night
- Keep it predictable and calm
- Use visual schedules if helpful
- Aim for 20–40 minutes total
2. Reduce Stimulation Before Bed
- Turn off screens at least 60 minutes before sleep
- Avoid rough play or loud activities
- Use calm lighting and quiet voices
3. Support a Sleep-Friendly Environment
- Dim lighting
- Comfortable bedding
- Cool room temperature
- White noise if helpful
4. Support Regulation Before Bed
- Deep pressure (tight hugs, slow and deep massage, squeezes)
- Calm music
- Breathing techniques or relaxation exercises
5. Keep Expectations Consistent
- Same bedtime each night
- Calm and predictable responses
- Consistency helps the nervous system feel safe.
If sleep is difficult for your child and you want some help diving deeper, an OT can help!
Reach out to us today – via the red Get in touch button in your top right hand corner!
By Dani Rodriguez
