Tag Archives: sleeping

The Sleep Game

There’s a new game being played in my house lately. It’s cute, it’s endearing, it makes us laugh, and we like it. It also is probably going to get really old really quickly. It’s the sleep game. I’m sure you all know what I’m talking about. It’s the game children play when they’re obviously tired, often over-tired, and want to fool their parents into thinking they’ve finally given in to slumber. Sleep has never really been an issue with my daughter. For the first 5 ½ months of her life, I always held her while she slept during the day. … Continue reading →

Baby: To Schedule, Or Not To Schedule?

My husband and I never considered putting our baby on a schedule while I was pregnant, and we didn’t think about it after she was born. When we thought she was hungry, I nursed her, and when she seemed tired, we let her sleep. I thought that was what most parents did, but as we talked to more and more new parents, we realized it’s very common for parents to get their babies on a regular schedule almost immediately. I admit that there were some days when I wondered if I was hurting our daughter by having a “go-with-the-flow” attitude. … Continue reading →

Sleeping in the Heat

I have a hard time falling asleep when it’s too hot in the room. I just can’t get comfortable! If you have the same problem, here are some tips to help you sleep easy in the heat. Heat rises. You might be cooler on a lower story than an upper one. Help prevent heat build-up inside. Use blinds to keep the sun out. Open windows at night if the temperature is cooler. Cool off with a shower before bed. Keep in mind that hot showers can increase the humidity, which can make the heat seem worse. Cool off with a … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: Sleeping Like the Dead

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Is your pet a deep sleeper? My two dogs tend to be pretty light sleepers. (The exception being when either dog is dreaming and “running” at the same time. That seems to be the deepest sleep for them.) I would think that since pets tend to have far more sensitive ears than humans do, they would sleep very lightly. (At least compared to sleeping humans.) But I guess it really depends on the pet. A coworker at the cats-only boarding facility was telling me a story about a deeply sleeping guest who gave her a scare. The cat in question … Continue reading →

Mourning the Loss of Napping

I have heard more than a few times that naps are a parent’s saving grace! If it wasn’t for nap time, many parents of young ones would truly lose their minds. I think that is why it can be so disconcerting when a child either gives up naps, or turns out to be the sort of person who requires less sleep. We worry for the health of the child and we also wonder what we are going to do as parents without that nice nap time break! I know that in my own parenting, it came as quite a shock … Continue reading →

No Nap! – Eve Bunting

Anyone who has ever had a toddler will be able to identify with “No Nap,” a picture book by Eve Bunting. Dad is trying to get Susie to have her nap, but she insists that she’s not tired. Clever Dad – he’ll take her on a walk to wear her out. They both put on their jackets and head out into the chilly air. They go all the way around the block and then back home again. But Susie insists that she’s still not tired. Well, Dad has another idea. They’ll dance! Dancing should make Susie good and tired. He … Continue reading →

Vocabulary Word of the Day: Body Clock

Body Clock means an internal mechanism of the body that is thought to regulate physical and mental functions in rhythm with normal daily activities. (American Heritage Stedman’s Medical Dictionary) To a homeschooler, body clock means sleeping when you need to sleep and leaning when you are most alert. “A survey of sleep-deprived teens (presented at the American Thoracic Society 2007 International Conference, on Sunday, May 20) finds they think that a later start time for school and tests given later in the school day would result in better grades.” The survey said what parents already know. Students are sleep deprived … Continue reading →

A Nap Can Be Good For Your Heart

Enjoy an afternoon siesta? Like to catch a few zzzs between lunch and the end of the work day? Here’s some good news — research from the University of Athens in Greece says that a midday nap may help reduce the risk of fatal heart problems. This study tracked more than twenty-three thousand healthy Greek adults for six years or so. The ones who made time for a half-hour nap at least three times per week had a thirty-seven percent lower risk of heart attack and other heart problems than the non-nappers did. The majority of the participants were in … Continue reading →

Sleeping Together or Apart?

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Interesting topic of discussion, I read an article about married couples spending only 1/3 of their lives sleeping together. Sleeping apart may indicate lower marital satisfaction, but it can also indicate just wanting to get a good night’s sleep. In the first few years of a relationship, couples are willing to sacrifice comfort for intimacy and after five to six years, the couple is more interested in a good night’s sleep than they are in intimacy. This can be a problem. According to the National Sleep Foundation, more than one in ten married Americans sleep alone. Of those with less … Continue reading →

Night-time challenges

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We’re still using wheels to get our youngest to sleep, and we’re right now in that twilight zone of her age and the time of year. She’s almost three and like most toddlers still needs a nap. We do have something of a set pattern for it, since she does have nursery school twice a week, so that she gets a nap early, has lunch, then rushes over to school. Missing the nap means a very cranky girl for a few hours, and that missing nap does not necessarily translate into an early bedtime. She rarely takes her nap in … Continue reading →