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The Five Steps to Getting Your Baby to Sleep through the Night

If your baby or toddler is having trouble sleeping through the night, the first thing you should know is… you’re not alone! Studies show that up to 30% of babies have sleep problems, and that 75% of parents would like to change their babies’ sleep habits.

The good news is that there are some quick and easy things you can do – starting tonight – to help your little one starting sleeping all through the night… and taking long, restful naps during the day!

So, as promised, here they are: The Five Steps to Getting Your Baby to Sleep through the Night!

Step 1: Choose an early bedtime.

The best time to put your baby or toddler to bed is sometime between 6 and 8 o’clock in the evening. This ensures that your child will be able to get a solid 11-13 hours of sleep during the night. (And yes… that is how much sleep children should be getting every night up until the age of about 10.)

Step 2: Put your child to sleep in the same place every night.

Whether your child has a room of their own or shares a room with parents or siblings, it’s important that you put your son or daughter to sleep in the same place every night (and for naps during the day as much as possible.) Putting your child to bed in a familiar place lets them know they are safe and that they are in a place where sleep is expected of them.

Step 3: Create a predictable bedtime routine.

Consistency and predictability are really important to babies and toddlers. When they know what to expect at bedtime, it makes it *much* easier for them to make the transition from waking to sleeping – and that’s why creating a bedtime routine is so important!

A good example of a bedtime routine might be something like this:

6:20 p.m. Bath time
6:35 p.m. Put on pyjamas
6:40 p.m. Nursing or bottle (NOTE: Do NOT let your child fall asleep while feeding!)
6:55 p.m. Story or songs
7:00 p.m. into crib or bed

Your bedtime routine shouldn’t take more than about 45 minutes, and it’s VERY important that the routine is the same every single night. The repetition and predictability are what let your child know that he or she will soon be expected to fall asleep.

Step 4: Put your baby to bed AWAKE!

If you’ve been rocking, nursing, or otherwise soothing your baby to sleep, this is going to seem like a tough one… but it’s actually the most important step! It’s only by letting your baby fall asleep WITHOUT your help at bedtime that he or she can learn the skills necessary to stay asleep through the night.

Step 5: If your baby wakes up during the night, wait a few minutes before intervening.

Everyone – babies and adults alike – will actually wake up several times every night. For most adults, these wakings are so brief that we don’t even remember them the next morning. However, many babies will immediately start to fuss or cry when they wake up.

This is simply because they haven’t learned how to fall asleep on their own. If a baby has been nursed or rocked to sleep at bedtime since birth, it’s not surprising that they wouldn’t know how to fall asleep independently. The good news is that many babies can figure out how to get back to sleep within just a few minutes of waking up in the night!

If your child continues to fuss or cry for more than a few minutes, you’ll want to go in and offer some comfort, but it’s important to let your child do the work of falling back to sleep. You can speak softly to your child and do some gentle rubbing or patting, but you should avoid picking your child up and rocking or nursing back to sleep.

So there you have it… the 5 most important things you need to know about getting your child to sleep through the night. Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that every child is a little different – there’s no “magic formula” that will work 100% of the time for every baby!

My passion (and my profession) is helping parents like you develop customized plans for solving child sleep problems, so if you have any questions about what you’ve just read, please feel free to get in touch!

All the best and Simply trust your baby 🙂

Elena Werner, HealthyLux passionate contributor

Elena’s Sleep Champions

HealthyLux October theme – Get some sleep

Sleepless Autumn

It’s back to the grind, whether it’s work or school. Returning from a sunny, relaxing summer holiday and stepping into a cold, wet and windy autumn can be depressing. All the hassles and frenetic activities have returned. With all this chaos comes a stressful environment.

We go back to our usual routine, which is tiring. Nonetheless, this is our life. So, at the end of the day, when we finish dinner, get the kids tucked into bed and finally have a few moments for ourselves we find it hard to put the day behind us as there is always something left unfinished. There is not enough time in the day to get everything done.

Now it’s time to get ready for bedtime. “Oh, I need to check my messages one last time.” “I forgot to get the report finished for tomorrow.” “Did I remember to take the clothes out of the dryer?” All of these unfinished things are going through our heads.

How are we going to relax and fall asleep if we have all these thoughts going around in our minds?

Well, it’s time to take “me time” and learn to take these moments to step back, forget about your busy day and all the things you have not quite finished, and relax. I know that is hard to do. We are so used to going, going, going. But it tires us out. People are not robots. We cannot be running and working 24 hours a day. We need our time to relax and get a good night’s sleep to be ready for the next day.

How do we do that? First, make a cut-off time for you to shut off your phones, computers and the television. Keep your electronic devices out of your bedroom. Dim the lights in your room and allow yourself to fall into a more calming atmosphere. Sit quietly and sip a hot chamomile, peppermint or valerian tea, or if you are not a tea drinker, a warm cup of milk with honey. Take a nice long shower or a warm, lavender bath.

Now, when it’s time to go to bed, lie down quietly and relax. Put all the business of the day behind you. Don’t think about all the things you need to do tomorrow. That is for tomorrow, not right now.

Meditation, mindfulness and gentle EFT tapping are great tools for relaxation at bedtime. Tune into your breathing and tune into your body. Listen to your breathing, feel your breathing as it slows down and your chest goes up and down. The more you tune into and focus on your body and breathing, the more relaxed you will be. Before you know it, you will be fast asleep and energized the next morning.

Natalie Bachiri – Tap Into Your Happiness

HealthyLux Passionate Contributor

HealthyLux October theme – Get some sleep

7 Top Tips for a Good Sleep and More Energy

Do you sometimes have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? Are you waking up in the middle of the night or before your alarm goes off? It’s important for you to understand what’s causing your sleep struggles, and use tips like the ones below to prepare for a restful night.

Getting enough sleep has a positive domino effect on our health; our bodies are in restore and rejuvenation mode while we’re sleeping; this can help us heal from illnesses and reduce aches and pains in our joints or muscles, for example. Deep sleep also helps reduce stress and anxiety, so we have more energy the next day.

And speaking of the next day, have you ever noticed that you’re hungrier when you’re tired? Research shows our appetite can increase up to 25% when we’re feeling exhausted, and many of us often turn to caffeine or sugar (or both) to give us a boost of energy. And that begins a roller-coaster of bursts of energy followed by energy crashes. That’s right – not getting enough sleep can actually cause us to gain weight or make it harder for us to lose weight.

Tonight, why not start some of these healthy sleep rituals?

Give yourself a bedtime. What’s your bedtime? Just like kids, we benefit when we have a consistent sleep time, because our bodies anticipate and respond to routine.
Close the kitchen. Make your last meal two to three hours before bedtime, so your body has a chance to digest the food. Digestion is a lot of physical activity – not what you want to be doing while you sleep!
Shut down electronics 30 minutes before bedtime. Turn off the TV, the laptop, the tablet, the Xbox, your smartphone… did I miss anything? According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), all of these devices can hinder your ability to sleep. One reason, explains the NSF, is that these devices emit blue light, “which our brains interpret as daylight. Blue light actually suppresses melatonin, a hormone that supports circadian rhythm and that should begin to increase when you are preparing for sleep.” So when you’re on your tablet or phone at night, your brain thinks it’s daytime. That can make it harder to fall asleep.
Set your smartphone to the “do not disturb” setting. In addition to the blue light, sending nighttime emails, scrolling through Facebook or posting on Instagram right before bedtime might be stressing you out or making your mind race. You’re not alone – NSF research shows that 71 percent of people sleep either holding their smartphone (!), having it in bed with them, or having it on their nightstand. Instead, place your smartphone where it is not within arm’s reach, and set it to “do not disturb” for the seven to eight hours of sleep you should be getting. Note: if you don’t want to miss a call from certain people – say you have elderly parents or kids at college – you can set your smartphone to allow calls and texts from select contacts. Everything else can wait until morning!
Create a relaxing ritual. Very few people fall asleep the minute their head hits the pillow. Instead, you may want to create some rituals that tell your body you’re shutting down for the night. Try a warm bath with lavender or Serenity essential oil. You can also listen to some relaxing music or do some deep breathing, restorative yoga, and/or meditation. My favourite meditation is Louise Hays evening meditation. You can also try the app called Headspace or Calm. Try the 10-minute meditations to help you relax before bedtime.
Dark = Deep. How many little electronic lights are glowing in your bedroom once the lamps and overhead lights are off? The darker you can make your room, the more restorative your sleep can be, because the darkness releases the sleep hormone, melatonin. Cover up those little lights with black electric tape or turn them face down or toward the wall. You might also try light-blocking curtains if light streams in from outside.
Help your hormones with a sleep mask. If your room is still bright, try wearing a sleep mask. It creates the total darkness our bodies need to release melatonin and get a healthier night’s sleep. I always recommend the softest sleep mask you can find, with natural fibers. It may not be attractive, but if it helps you sleep, you will feel and look your best with more energy. And that’s a beautiful thing!

I’d love to hear how your sleep improves with these tips, and which ones are most helpful to you. Feel free to share the comments below – just not right before bedtime! Sending you sweet dreams!

Anne Louise Littlejohn, HealthyLux passionate contributor

Owner at Get Real with Anne Louise – Health Coaching in Luxembourg

HealthyLux October theme – Get some sleep

Quality Sleep : How sophrology can help.

Do you feel irritable, overwhelmed, unable to concentrate or stressed on a regular basis because of lack of sleep?

In 1942, less than 8% of the population was trying to survive on six hours or less sleep a night; in 2017 almost one in two people*. And an adult sleeping only 6,75 hours a night would be predicted to live only to their early 60s without medical intervention.*

Lack of sleep can affect your overall health and make you prone to more serious medical conditions: it directly affects your capacities to learn, memorize, focus and concentrate, your energy levels, regulation of vital functions like glycaemia, toxins’ elimination, stimulation of your immune system…

Because sleep problems are daytime problems, sophrology offers great tools to help you recuperate and de-stress throughout the day and sleep better at night.

The deeply restorative state of relaxation when the alpha brains waves kick in to provide a sense of well-being is at the core of any sophrology practice. Learning to reach this state of relaxation is in itself a great way to recuperate, rest and rebalance: this state is the one that you naturally go through twice a day when you transition from a sleep state to a waking state and vice versa. This state of relaxation is achieved with your eyes closed, sitting in a comfortable position and following the gentle voice of your Sophrologist. With regular practice, you can learn to achieve this deeply restorative state of relaxation within 5 minutes and from there you can work on a wide array of issues concerning your trouble sleeping.

Sophrology breathing exercises can also be a powerful ally to help you get some rest, whether it’s a quick nap or a good night’s sleep. The sensation of calm you gain from breathing and from dynamic relaxation exercises can give you more energy and also a feeling of empowerment to face and solve your sleeping issues : you grow more confident in connecting more with what you feel and listening to your needs , you learn to use the breath to calm and focus your mind while relaxing your nervous system.

Other specific sophrology exercises consist in replacing a negative conditioned response to sleep (most often unconsciously related to your bedroom, bed, your sleep routine, etc.) by a positive one. Practice and repetition are keys to reprogram yourself. But sometimes a few sessions are enough to regain a healthy sleep.

By using simple and efficient tools to access consciousness and grow your inner resources through relaxation, meditation, visualisation and body awareness, sophrology provides a practical, simple, and natural way to either solve sleeping issues or simply learn to better recuperate and optimize your energy level.

Individual sessions are best to tackle specific personal issues. Group sessions are a good way to learn primary exercises that you can use in your daily life.

For more information concerning sophrology and sleep issues : Diane Welfringer Lapaque, certified sophrologist with specialization on sleep, member of ‘’Pole Sommeil CEAS’’ . www.socolibris.com

*Ref. Quoted by Matthew Walker, director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley.

Le sommeil, bien dormir enfin. Dr Luc Audouin, les essentiels Milan.

Nadège Ravoux – HealthyLux Passionate Contributor

HealthyLux October theme – Get some sleep

Take advantage of the Quiet – Explore Luxembourg

As anyone can tell, August can feel like a ghost town in Luxembourg. As with anything there are advantages to the quiet – take advantage of it. Take advantage of the quiet of August and reap the benefits.

While there may not be many people here, there are plenty of activities around the city and around the region. Take advantage of all there is to see. Have you been to a farmer’s market or visited the wine countries of Luxembourg, France or Germany? Have you walked around the city or visited the Grund?

Here are just a few areas of Luxembourg that you may not even know about. Take advantage of the quiet of August to explore more than just the city www.visitluxembourg.com

Mullerthal or Luxembourg’s Little Switzerland (Eastern Region)

Mullerthal owes its name to its hilly landscape reminiscent of Switzerland. The Mullerthal is a unique biotope of rock formations that are as beguiling as they are surprising.

Along with Echternach, Luxembourg’s oldest, historic city, there is the Mullerthal Trail which is 112 kilometers of magnificent valley trails. The footpaths of Mullerthal will lead you through fields and forests into the heart of a natural setting. Besides demanding hikes, the Mullerthal offers a network of pleasant walks amidst breathtaking panoramas.

Moselle (East/Southern Region)

The Moselle River is one of the major rivers of Luxembourg. It runs along the border with Germany. Moselle lends its name to one of the most beautiful valleys of Luxembourg, famous for its wineries and medieval towns. The valley of the Moselle is famous for its steep hills and vineyards. It is also the birthplace of Luxembourg wines. Hikes, such as the wine route, are a great way to discover this region.

The Moselle region is great for water sports and hikers. Swimming, water skiing or Nordic walking are just some of the activities on and around the River Moselle, as well as river cruises.

Guttland (Central / West Region)

Just outside the city you can find an enchanting setting of charming villages with old farm houses, imposing castles and beautiful natural landscapes. There are hundreds of kilometers of hiking and biking. A highlight of the area is the Valley of the Seven Castles, which extends over 24 kilometers and includes the castles of Mersch, Schoenfels, Koerich, Hollenfels and Septfontaines as well as the two castles of Ansembourg. Medieval festivals and other events breathe new life into the old castle compounds.

Ardennes (Northern Region)

While the Ardennes is mostly known for it’s medieval, historical castles of Vianden, Bourscheid and Esch-sur-Sûre, there are also the nature parks including Naturpark Our and Naturpark Öewersaue. Traditional markets, outdoor concerts and medieval festivals are reviving this fascinating medieval time.

Land of the Red Rocks (Southern Region)

The Land of the Red Rocks owes its name to the red ore of the steel industry in Luxembourg, back in the industrial era. Today, the former mining area has established a new identity through combining ancient and new technologies. The region encompasses the major commercial cities including Esch-sur-Alzette, Differdange and Dudelange. Modern and trendy, these cities have a young and dynamic atmosphere. Street theater, rock festivals and concert halls form the cultural aspect. The region’s nature reserves have several mountain bike trails.

Take a day trip, go hiking, take a walk in the park, visit the castles, lakes and hills of Luxembourg and beyond. This is a great time to unwind, take some nice quiet breathes and focus on you and all that is around you. You just might be surprised at how much there is to offer if you just open yourself up and look beyond your everyday life in Luxembourg.

Natalie Bachiri

Owner at Tab into Your Happiness and HealthyLux Passionate Contributor

HealthyLux August theme – Anyone in Luxembourg?

Anyone in Lux?

Hello – anybody out there!??!

Summer at long last and suddenly the country seems deserted, don’t you think? For me personally, I cherish this time of year and intentionally schedule my holiday calendar to ensure I get to reap all the benefits of hot summer days (hopefully!), no traffic, and beautifully undisturbed quiet time to just read, relax and kick back !

To be honest though, I didn’t always feel this way. When I first arrived in the summer of 2008, my sentiments and reaction to the quietness of it all was completely different. Here I was, adventuring into new and unknown territory and was ready to ‘hit the ground running’ as they say.. but oh NO – it was August in this little sleepy hollow town and I couldn’t as much as open a bank account, or arrange to have my phone and internet connected. You’d simply have to wait for September to roll around before you considered achieving anything like that. How does the country survive with such a mentality I thought?

Jump forward almost 10 years and here I am relishing in it all, having adopted the more European lifestyle, letting August just roll on by without a care in the world. Want something done – talk to me in September when my brain has reawakened!

But that of course, is on the business front. Lets move on to the more social scene shall we? I’m not one to be hitting the clubs and exploring the night scene, so tell me… is my perception true? Does everyone literally pack up the family and head to greener pastures for ALL of August, just leaving the very few behind to relish in the great expanse of the country all to ourselves? Or are there more people and things to do than one is led to believe?

I’ll be sitting on my back porch, swinging in my hammock, waiting for your comments! And while I do – here’s my list of simple things to do for August;

– Rise & Shine with the sun – get up early and embrace the quiet

– Read a book in the hammock

– Cook and eat outside as often as you can – its BBQ time

– Go for a bike ride

– Rose S’il Vous Plait

Sabrina Foley – HealthyLux Passionate Contributor

HealthyLux August theme – Anyone in Luxembourg?

How Sunlight Helps Your Biological Clock, Stress Levels and Sleep

Here in Luxembourg the days are still pretty long and you wake up with the tweeting of birds.

Light has such a powerful role for our health but it can be easy to rush into work, stay in the office all day long and then only catch a few more glimpses of sunlight before heading inside, watching your favourite tv show before heading off to bed.

So here are a few reasons why you should consider including a break and going outside during the day.

1. Our skin and our eyes absorb sunlight and it sends a signal to our brain. This helps our biological clock to regulate itself and differentiate between night and day.
Fun fact: it is believed that most people actually have a 25 hour internal clock instead of the 24 hours we have at our disposal.

2. Having a well regulated circadian rhythm helps the body to know when to become sleepy and when to give us a natural power boost. I hence always recommend my clients to schedule in at least one 5 minute walk outside per day.

3. Breathing fresh air and having natural sunlight connecting with our system is also helping the production of vitamin D and it helps to detox our body. All of this and more is vital for a well balanced hormonal household. That is connected to sleep, digestion, skin appearance and health and also mental wellness.

4. Going outside and seeing the natural colours is also helping to reduce stress, lower unnecessary high cortisol levels and hence favouring general wellbeing and sleep of course.

So take advantage of this beautiful season and schedule your first walk right now.

Christine Hansen – Sleep like a Boss

HealthyLux June theme – Enjoy Nature

When less is more

If you’ve started getting the hang of the 3 basic tips to reducing your waste, you’ll probably be longing for more new projects to implement given the benefits you’ll experience from having less plastic bags and plastic bottles cluttering the house.

Here are 4 more advanced tips:

Be mindful of food waste:

Here’s a heartbreaking fact: globally, 1/3 of all food produced is never consumed. To avoid food waste, plan trips to the grocery store carefully. Build on what is available in your fridge to plan meals for the week. When you go to the restaurant, bring containers with you to put the leftovers in. If all else fails, use the organic bin from your municipality. At OUNI, Luxembourg’s first bulk shop, you can also buy only the amount you need.

Bonus benefit: If you are using organic veggies, create delicious dishes with your radish leaves, make an extra green soup with carrot tops and use kohlrabi leaves for a stir-fry.

Make your own cosmetics and cleaning products (DIY):

It took me a while to jump onto the DIY bandwagon for as it seemed rather intimidating. But it’s not that hard. And remember that many non-organic cosmetics and cleaning products contain dangerous chemicals like ammonia and petrochemical perfumes.

Bonus benefit: You feel empowered as you master new skills.

Buy second hand & give or sell items that you no longer use or need:

There are a number of second hand websites and stores, “Free your Stuff Luxembourg”, “Donnons.org”, “Yourshop.lu”, ‘KidsMarket.lu”– by putting things back into the economy we are preserving resources.

Bonus benefit: You can simplify your life: less visual clutter will lead to less stress and a peaceful atmosphere.

Repair:

Lengthen the lifetime of your things by repairing them. The longer the lifetime of an object, the better it is for the environment. Sew back a button or repair your shoes.

Bonus benefit: You save money.

Vanessa Paul – OUNI

HealthyLux June theme – Enjoy Nature

Enjoy Nature

‘And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul’

At long last, it’s time to say good-bye to those long, cold days of winter and embrace the long, hot days of summer. And what better way than in the great outdoors!

Interesting article published recently in the http://uk.businessinsider.com which lists 11 scientific reasons you should spend more time outside. Of course, we’ve all read and heard about it before, but have you actually tried it for yourself and noticed the energy levels increase, the smile stretch across your face and the brain fog… simply disappear? Crazy stuff – it actually works!

I’m fortunate enough to have two adorable fur-kids who live every waking hour of the day not only for food and cuddles, but extended walks in the woods. Even more fortunate, is the vast array of walking, hiking & cycling trails that the Grand Duchy has to offer – no matter where you live!

Funny thing though, I so often hear people remark on how small Luxembourg is and I suppose they’re right (to an extent!) as it is only 2,586 square kilometers (sounds massive to me!) and my response remains the same – ‘have you tried either walking or cycling it’? Behind every corner turned and hill climbed there’s a beautiful new canvas of rock, vineyard or hillside that awaits you. Trust me, if you haven’t already, I strongly encourage you to start exploring and become witness to all the hidden treasures still yet to be discovered. And while you’re exploring, really capture the moment and reflect on how you’re feeling. Did all your worries fade away and make room for happier more pleasant thoughts to flood their way in?

My two personal favorites at the moment are lunchtime strolls through the park and scanning the cow pastures in the evenings for newborn calves. Each one offering me an opportunity to restore my mental energy and reduce any unwanted stress.

But if simply lacing up your shoes and heading outdoors doesn’t work for you; here are my two top picks to help you get started;

Rambling-in-Luxembourg – well done to the mastermind behind this FB page as it really does take all the hard work out of finding a place to visit and gives you just enough information to peak the curiosity needed to get you out there
Federation Luxembourgeoise de Marche Populaire – this is more structured as it’s organized by a walking club and has markers laid out along the way to keep you on track. For the family conscious out there, there are shorter & longer distances available to choose from and for 2EUR (last time I went) you get refreshments along the way! Win Win 🙂

The great outdoors awaits you – what are you going to do today to stimulate the senses and take charge of your well-being? Share your thoughts & comments below and let us know of your favorite ways to enjoy nature.

Sabrina – HealthyLux Passionate Contributor

HealthyLux June theme – Enjoy Nature