It’s Lily here! Occupational Therapist at Cup-O-T. I wanted to share something practical this month that might be helpful to you – especially now that many of you are settling back into school/ homeschool routines.
I hear all the time that young people struggle to get a good night’s sleep. This can be for all sorts of reasons. In my practice I have noticed that some young people reach a nice calm state after doing a sensory circuit – I have even seen some young people nearly fall asleep!
I have used the same sensory circuit principles below to develop a little sequence of ideas that might help you get some shut eye tonight! I would recommend getting the grown ups involved too!’
Background: Sensory circuits were developed with the aim of helping young people and people with sensory processing differences to reach a calm/ alert state. This one has been adapted to leave you feeling restful, calm and ready for bed.
Instructions for use: There are three sections that must be completed in order:
- Alerting THEN
- Organising THEN
- Calming
Complete two activities from each section selecting these either manually or using a dice!
Before you start: You will need; one young person, one carer or parent and nothing else! You might want to come up with your own ideas or incorporate items you have around the home!
During the day: Make the bedroom as cosy as possible together – arrange pillows, lighting, soft toys.. think about any smells or sounds that are comforting. If you have a lot of worries on your mind; find time in the day to let the worries out either by talking to a trusted adult or by writing them down; in a journal or maybe a worry box/worry monster.
Get ready for bed.. then, lets go!
Alerting – these activities involve lots movement.
Do two of these:
- Relay races in the garden OR sliding backwards and forwards in your socks indoors
- Going on the swing OR rolling back and forth in a ball on the floor
- Laying upside down on the sofa (head down) no movement here but still stimulates the same part of your brain- how cool is that?!
- Star jumps OR jumping jacks (can you do 30?!)
- Sweeping or mopping the floor (moving through space as much as possible- think about use of up-tempo music)
- Dancing like no ones watching the whole way through your favourite song
Organising – these are movements that require you to use your brain and your body together.
Do two of these:
- Army crawl, bear walks (can you make this into a race?)
- Balance beam (use masking tape on the floor and try and walk along the line without falling in the shark infested water!) OR tree pose (work up to 20 seconds on each side)
- Play Simon says OR twister
- Organising something in your bedroom (folding clothes, sorting through a draw) OR loading or unloading the dishwasher to music
- Play catch (a weighted ball it great for this!)
- Elbow to knee: in standing position touch your right elbow to your left knee, repeat on the other side- count to 30!
If you haven’t already, time to come inside and get ready for bed now.
Calming – these activities activate deep muscles through heavy muscle work or squeezing and are calming for the nervous system.
Do two or three of these:
- Hand massage/foot massage
- Plank
- Child’s pose
- Burrito – wrap up in duvet or soft blanket
- Wall pushes
- Progressive muscle relaxation (there are videos on YouTube about this, with practice you can do it alone or a carer or parent might be able to talk you through it)
Recommended Resources for the CALMING section
Progressive relaxation:
For older kids (and grown ups too!)
For younger kids
Yoga to get ready for bed
For older kids (and grown ups!)
Health and safety advice – for supporting grown ups
Never push your body hard during yoga. You might notice your muscles working but it should never hurt! Be particularly careful if you are hypermobile- yoga is great for building strength around extra bendy joints but try not to over extend.
Follow professional advice re: the use of weighted items. For example; it is not advisable to sleep under a weighted blanket as it can affect circulation. Particular caution is advisable if the young person has epilepsy. Young people can often experience the same benefits just by having the blanket over their legs or for a shorter period of time.
I’d love to know if these Sensory Circuits are helpful and effective for you and your young people! You can comment below, reach out on social media, or pop us an email!
