This Tool Can Help Your Child Sleep

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Walk into the parenting section of a bookstore and one thing will jump out at you: there are hundreds of books about getting kids to sleep. And yet, parents are still frustrated by restless kids who can’t seem to settle down to sleep.

In this episode, I am going to teach you a technique that you can use to help your children relax and fall asleep. Better still, with practice they’ll be able to use it for themselves.

This tool is called “The Cloud Story,” and I have used it with my own kids, my patients, and myself.

Listen by clicking here for iTunes or play it below. Take a listen and try it for yourself, and play this episode for your children to try it with them!

Put simply, The Cloud Story is an easy, calming practice that encourages your child to learn how to relax each part of his body–all through an enjoyable story that uses his imagination and is easy for you to remember and retell each night.

Officially, The Cloud Story is a guided imagery that uses autogenic training to achieve its benefits. What does that mean? A guided imagery is essentially a story through which you paint a picture in the listener’s mind, and encourage them to add to the picture using their imagination. Autogenic training is a process using vocal commands to create sensations in the body. Studies have shown that with practice, you can learn to control everything from heart rate and breathing, to blood pressure and even body temperature.

In The Cloud Story, kids are encouraged to imagine floating on a cloud and are then led through a series of images that help them feel calm, relaxed, and ready for sleep. The story works best in children over 2years old, as imagination starts to show itself after age 15 to 18 months, but then really skyrockets after age 2.

You can adapt the story to make it longer by including more body parts to relax, or you can shorten it by grouping multiple body parts together (i.e., legs and feet).

Take a listen and try it out yourself! I’ve shortened the intro on this episode so that you can play it for your children each night without having to fast forward too much (the exercise begins at 02:12).

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

A useful tool that you can use to help your children relax and fall asleep. Over time, your children may learn to use this exercise themselves.

Please take a moment and leave a review on iTunes if you find this podcast helpful! Share this episode with your friends, comment below or tweet me @ZenDocSteve. And if your child does find The Cloud Story relaxing and calming, take a picture and tag me on Instagram at zendocsteve!

Until next time, Be Well & Have Fun!

This post first appeared on The Child Repair Guide on DrSteveSilvestro.com

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