To sleep, perchance

The other day, a friend excitedly shared her latest method for falling asleep. We were gathered in a coffee shop one Saturday morning, discussing the aches and pains of being middle-aged. We’ve morphed over the years from beers in the evening to coffees in the early morning because, well, we’re too tired to stay up late anymore.

The late, late, late show

The topic of sleep is a bit provoking for me. Sleep feels like a distant friend; occasionally we connect. This is largely due to the needs of my two children who are medically fragile with neurodevelopmental challenges. Furthermore, Janneke, our youngest, loves to sing-holler through the night, as there’s little to no competition from the daytime noises.

It took a long time for me to find sleep at night when I might otherwise be pacing or watching the girls. In the first few years of their lives, when we dealt with serious illness and frequent hospitalisation, sleep seemed almost foolish. Seizures and fevers seemed to occur mostly after midnight, and still today, the girls need frequent toileting care.

How’s your sleep?

World Sleep Day is March 15, 2024. Yep, it’s a marked day. Dreams have fascinated humans for centuries, and the science of sleep is equally amazing. Research tells us poor sleep (or lack thereof) can be the forgotten culprit of many mental and physical health issues and behavioural challenges.

Sleep equity is also important. Families and individuals impacted by housing and food insecurity may also deal with sleep deprivation, making it that much harder to access services and resources. In 2020, as an international first, Canada created guidelines for a healthy 24 hours – Participaction’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines – and sleep is included. Two years later, the Government of Canada announced funding of $3.8 million to support research on sleep health and insomnia. Sleep is a big deal.

Through my work in family engagement in health research at CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, I will be working with members of Canada’s Sleep Consortium. They are doing brilliant work in the field of sleep research, and their findings are helping people find sleep. I was particularly intrigued by the Better Nights, Better Days program that supports all families and individuals with their sleep. (If you’re curious, check out sleeponitcanada.ca and click the resources tab.)

Avocado, banana. . .

I’ve been given loads of advice over the years regarding our family’s sleep routine. We’re in a season of unique sleep cycles for our family – and early evening naps for me are essential. I’m less inclined to believe those who have told me that sleep is an act of worship, or that if I pray more, I’ll sleep better. My friend’s surefire method? Think of the alphabet. Start at the beginning and name a fruit/vegetable that starts with A. Work your way through each letter. Hopefully, you fall asleep before you get to Z (because what starts with X?!).