Most children wake up from a bad dream now and again or have an off night.

Maybe they’re getting used to a new bedtime routine, or checking their phone after lights out. Sometimes the pressure of homework, and the daily build-up of worry and anxiety can cause sleepless nights.

Sleep affects your mind and can impact mental health. Many mental health conditions can also affect your child’s sleep in a lot of ways and go along with sleep problems (e.g. ADHD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, FASD and psychosis, can often have a sleep problem associated with them).

Sleep difficulties can also create behavioural changes in children and youth so that they become more irritable, emotional, aggressive, and even hyperactive. It can leave the whole family feeling exhausted.

Sometimes small changes to sleep habits can help the whole family sleep easier. Here you’ll find tips to tackle sleep challenges, and learn when it’s a good idea to seek out professional help.