SLEEP

Over recent years, there has been a growing interest in the supposed habits of billionaires, successful entrepreneurs and Olympic athletes, with sleep and energy becoming widely claimed as the latest ‘productivity hack’. Jeff Bezos at Amazon has said that getting eight hours of sleep helps him make the high-level decisions that are necessary for a senior executive, with Bill Gates and many other high profile figures are also recognising the importance of a good night’s sleep. 

Popularised by Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post with her 2016 book The Sleep Revolution, Huffington has been very vocal about the importance of getting a full night’s rest since collapsing from sleep deprivation, exhaustion and burnout in 2007. She was making phone calls and checking her email when she passed out at her desk - she awoke in a pool of blood with her daughter standing above her. 

Summarised as 6 rules, she recommends:

1.    No electronic devices starting 30 minutes before bedtime

2.    Take a hot bath before bed to help calm your mind and body

3.    Change into pyjamas, a nightdress or even a special T-shirt

4.    Keep your bedroom dark, quiet and cool

5.    Avoid caffeine after 2 p.m.

6.    Bed is for sleep (and sex) only

Her book draws on a growing body of published science on the importance of quality sleep and was followed up by Professor Matthew Walker’s 2017 international bestseller Why We Sleep (he’s also on TEDx). While our experience would tell us that children in care and care leavers are more likely to experience poor sleep than other children, there is now some research (and some limited practice guidance) to support this. For example, in a 2020 Norwegian study, Sleep among youths in foster care: Associations with potentially traumatic events, PTSD and mental health, the researchers found that 53% of the children and young people in their foster care sample had difficulties initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS), and for most this had been going on for more than 3 months. Increased potential traumatic events, PTSD and general mental health problems were all associated with increased DIMS score.

So if sleep is as claimed a ‘secret weapon’ for success that we can all benefit from, how might children in care and care leavers also benefit from this ‘sleep revolution’? And what might the contribution of good ’sleep hygiene’ be to overcoming (or at least not further exacerbating) existing trauma? And how important is routine and the development of sustainable habits that can be shared with other foster carers and family members?

I’d love to hear your thoughts! You can email me at: iain@betteroutcomes.co.nz

Kia kaha (Stay Strong).

Iain