Instagram Live with Dr. Levita D’Souza
Instagram Live with Dr. Levita D’souza I had a riveting conversation with Counselling Psychologist and Researcher, Dr Levita D’Souza, on Instagram Live, where we talked about attachment theory, attachment styles, how our own childhood experiences affect our parenting choices, ruptures and repairs in the bonding process with our babies and children, how parentj g is an opportunity for personal growth and much more! Unfortunately, there were some disturbances in the audio. So that Levita’s amazing insights don’t get lost, I am sharing a transcript for the conversation here. Do read through until the very end so that you don’t miss some transformative truth bombs! How our childhood experiences and attachment styles affect our parenting choices. Himani: Hi everyone. Thank you for joining in for this live with Levita D’Souza. I’m super excited because every conversation I have with Levita is just full of these truth bombs that she tends to drop. Levita is a Registered Counseling Psychologist and Lecturer within the Faculty of Education at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Her research interests are in the area of perinatal psychology, adverse childhood experiences and its impact on attachment patterns and subsequent parenting practices. Within this space, her current research projects are looking at psychological factors affecting first-time fathers as they transition to fatherhood and father-child bonding. She’s also undertaking research on cultural influences on parenting choices in relation to infant sleep. So that’s really where Levita and I have had many conversations – where infant sleep is concerned. And, as an Indian living in a sort of industrialized, westernized – “westernized”, not “Western” – country, I’m sure you’ve faced this dichotomy and perhaps that was one of the factors that drew you towards this research. So, could you tell us a little bit about your journey and what drew you to your current work? Levita: Yes, I think my journey first started with my quest and questioning around mental illness. Why people are mentally ill; if it runs in families, does it mean I’m doomed; does it mean that we cannot do things differently. And that led to my early work in my early study working with families where there has been mental illness. And what I found was that some outcomes were much better than others. So, for some patients, the outcomes were much better than others. And the same sort of thing was replicated when I was working with children who had experienced trauma. You know, crap happens to everyone. But some children were better able to deal with the trauma and overcome it or manage their symptoms compared to others. And what I could see clearly was those early sorts of parenting experiences. And it wasn’t till I became a mum myself and I started to question why – who am I as a mother? What kind of a mother do I want to be? What from my own parenting experiences do I want to bring into how I parent my child? What do I not want? – that I started to really dabble in this thing of attachment theory and how that can influence – those really early experiences can influence – later outcomes for children. And so then I’ve landed in this space where, very crudely, I say “how not to be a jerk of a parent”. That’s what the transition to parenthood is. What influences us, what will help us be better parents? What do we draw on? What do we not draw on? What do we want to leave behind? And attachment, I think plays a big role in that. Himani: So, you know, just for some of us and the uninitiated and the layperson, the lay parent rather, could you very simply explain attachment theory – what you spend years teaching your students – in about two minutes? (laughter) Levita: I’ll try. I will try. I was reflecting on this and going, “can I reliably do it?” But I’m going to try this. So, very simply… Himani: You can take ten minutes. I’m joking about the two minutes. Levita: Thank you! Much appreciated (laughter). So, very simply, it’s like a bond. It’s a bond that exists between the baby and the caregiver. For the purpose of this talk, I will interchange between “caregiver” and “mother” but I want to absolutely acknowledge that families come in all forms and so it can be the father, it can be the grandmother, or any caregiver who is consistent, who is reliable, who is dependable, who is sensitive, and who is able to attune to the baby in a timely sort of way. And so, what is attachment? It’s a bond between the baby and the caregiver. Why does it exist? It exists purely and solely for the purpose of survival. So, when the baby is born, the baby is born with a system, what we call a “bio-behavioural system”, which it uses to cue the parent that they need things, to meet their needs. So, let’s take an example, here’s a little baby. They experience hunger, and they experience hunger on a very physiological level, right, it’s a biological behaviour. That hunger puts the baby’s system in chaos. It experiences pain. The baby doesn’t immediately cry. What the baby might do earlier to cue the parent would be root, stick their tongue out, put their hand to their mouth, and these are, sort of, very early signs where the baby is cuing in the caregiver to say, “Mamma, look at me, I have a need, I’m expressing this, attune to me, meet my need, make me feel good.” When the baby does that, the mother goes, “oh, you’re hungry! You want me to pick you up, let me feed you.” When the mother meets that need, the baby’s system – that had started to be in chaos because of the hunger – returns to this really calm, nice, happy place. Mum feels good because baby has stopped crying; baby feels good because baby’s needs
Baby Sleep 101: The basics of baby sleep
Baby Sleep 101: The basics of baby sleep It is only after we become parents that we realize what a rocky road baby sleep is and how there is just so much learn and unlearn as we meet our baby’s biological needs while getting some rest ourselves! Let’s talk about some of the basic concepts of baby sleep. Why is sleep important for your child? Whether you have a baby or a toddler, sleep plays an important developmental role. Sleep is as important as food and, yet, somehow it does not receive the same mindful attention from parents. Often, parents are advised to let the child stay up until they drop off to sleep or to skip nap times to have an early bedtime or to reduce nightwakings. This advice usually backfires but is also developmentally potentially harmful. Good sleep is important for physical growth (the growth hormone is secreted during sleep), lower chances of obesity, heart protection, stronger immunity (proteins called cytokines, the building blocks of immunity, are produced during sleep), better attention spans, greater ability to learn and higher brain growth amongst other things. Night sleep and day sleep have different functions so naps play a vital role as well. What is “Sleep Parenting”? A commonly asked question is, “Don’t children just sleep when they are tired?”. The answer is no. The first step to sleep parenting is acknowledging that parents have to support the child to sleep. We help our babies to eat, bathe, play, walk, learn, talk and, yet, somehow we assume that parenting ends when the baby is asleep. This is where many things go wrong as our babies actually continue to need parenting when they sleep. Sleep parenting involves : Observing cues: Babies and toddlers show sleep cues in stages. It is important to observe for early sleep cues (see chart). When intercepted early, it is easier to make the baby/ toddler sleep than when the cues are not understood and the baby/toddler reaches the crying, overtired phase. An overtired child resists sleep and does not sleep well. Feeding or rocking to sleep: It is biologically normal for babies and young toddlers to sleep while nursing/bottle feeding and rocking/walking. These are not “bad sleep habits” or “bad sleep associations”. It is biologically normal for babies to need assistance in this regard and that too with active soothing methods such as these (patting does not work until much later). Children under 3.5 – 4 years cannot be expected to fall asleep on their own. Follow a child-led approach to trying different soothing methods. Holding while asleep: Young babies often wake when put down. They have a biological survival instinct that makes them seek the comfort and security, which comes from physical contact. If your baby is waking up when put down (either immediately or a few minutes later), we need to take the hint and keep holding them This is one vital example of how parenting does not end when the baby is asleep. Babies often need to be held for up to 10-11 months and during regression phases even after. This is biologically normal and not a bad habit. They outgrow the need when they are ready. Further reading on this: Why Does My Baby Wake Up When I Put Her Down? – Bellybelly.com.au When Your Child Will Only Nap On You – Sarah Ockwell-Smith Helping to go back to sleep: If your concern is that your 5 month old or 1 year old doesn’t nap more than 30 minutes at a stretch, the solution is to “bridge the nap”. When your child takes brief naps it doesn’t mean that her/ his nap is complete. It means that the child needs help in going back to sleep through active means of soothing. Bedsharing: Bedsharing is safe and normal and often leads to better sleep for the child and parents. There is much evidence on the benefits of bedsharing as well. For example, see Professor James McKenna’s research: https://neuroanthropology.net/2008/12/21/cosleeping-and-biological-imperatives-why-human-babies-do-not-and-should-not-sleep-alone/ Following baby’s schedule: A baby’s sleep schedule – based on the baby’s cues and natural biological rhythms – is sacrosanct. It works much better if adults adapt to the baby’s schedule rather than the other way round. Creating the right sleep environment: A pitch dark and quiet room for both daytime naps and night sleep (after the age of 3 months in particular) are vital to good sleep. These are biological needs as babies are very easily stimulated and jerked out of sleep. These do not form “bad habits”. What is Overtiredness? A child is overtired when she/he is awake beyond the age appropriate awake window. The child’s body recognizes that sleep isn’t coming and secretes the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline to cope with it. The child experiences a “second wind”, wherein the child snaps back to wakefulness and becomes hyperactive. Does your baby/ toddler get over active when it is time for bed? Does she/he resist bedtime even though they look tired? Does your child often cry before sleeping? All these are classic examples of overtiredness. An overtired child does not sleep well, which can lead to multiple night wakings, including active nightwakings. Sleep Cues and Awake Windows Every baby is unique but babies of the same age range have similar sleep needs because it is biologically determined, like any developmental milestone. Looking out for sleep cues is important to determine when the child is ready to sleep. Babies and toddlers have early and late sleep cues, and the earlier a caregiver responds to sleep cues and soothes a child to sleep the better because late sleep cues lead to sleep resistance and disturbed sleep – also signs of overtiredness. Please refer to the chart above to understand what cues to look out for. “Awake window” means the time in between two naps or between naps and night sleep when a child can stay awake and interact without getting overtired. The
We Need to Talk About Encanto
We Need to Talk About Encanto With its latest animated extravaganza, Encanto, Disney weaves its magic to shine a light on inter-generational trauma. (Contains spoilers) The latest offering from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Encanto (streaming on Hotstar in India), is a rapturously imagined, gorgeously rendered musical about the fissures within an extraordinarily gifted family. Capturing tiny hearts with its rainbow-lush imagery and catchy, chart-topping soundtrack (songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda of Moana and Hamilton fame), Encanto has also taken over social media with its themes of intergenerational trauma, sibling rivalry and immigrant displacement. Encanto-themed content on TikTok has gone viral and parenting influencers on Instagram have dived deep into the intergenerational trauma so poignantly evoked by the movie. Every social media platform is brimming with posts and comments by users talking about how the movie reduced them to tears, how they related with such-and-such character, and how the soul-stirring, cathartic music plays on repeat in their homes (it certainly does in ours!) Encanto is the story of the Madrigal family – matriarch Abuela Alma Madrigal, her children and grandchildren – all of whom live in a magical home in a misty Colombian rainforest valley. The Casa Madrigal is a worthy 21st century addition to the lineage of Disney castles, with its ornate tiles, vibrant color palette and enchanted doors and windows (also floors, staircases, furniture and crockery!). And yet, Encanto abandons European fairy magic for the largely Latin American literary tradition of magical realism (think Isabel Allende’s House of Spirits, Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude). The dark backstory of the movie involves Abuela and her husband, Pedro, fleeing political violence shortly after the birth of their triplet babies. Abuelo Pedro martyrs himself in order to save his family and his people, leaving Abuela and the babies alone and adrift. In their “darkest moment”, Abuela recounts, they were granted a miracle: a magical, ever-flaming candle that is the source of their power, an enchanted home to replace the one they have lost, and powerful mountains that rise up to protect their little village. But that’s not all. Every member of the Madrigal family, starting from the triplets and passing onto their descendants, is given a magical power, a “gift” that is bestowed on them when they open their very own door in the enchanted house, a gift that allows them to serve their community. All, that is, except the heroine of our story, Mirabel. She is the only member of the special family who returns empty-handed from her “door-opening ceremony”. Mirabel’s mother, Julieta, can cure the ill with food. Her aunt, Pepa, can change the weather with her mood. Her sister, Luisa, is strong like Hercules and can lift mountains or churches; her other sister Isabella can grow flowers and is perfect in every way. A cousin can shape shift, another can talk to animals, another has superhuman hearing powers and an uncle can tell the future. Every member of the Madrigal family, except Mirabel, has a superhuman gift, like Cousin Dolores, who can hear a pin drop. These superpowers allow the Madrigal family to serve their community. As Abuela says in the opening song of the film: “We swear to always Help those around us And earn the miracle, That somehow found us The town keeps growing, The world keeps turning, But work and dedication will keep the miracle burning And each new generation must keep the miracle burning” However, all is not well in the fairy tale world of the Madrigals. Mirabel is the first to notice that the magic is fading. There are cracks in the floors and walls of the house. Her family members are losing their powers. And everyone else seems to be in denial about it! Most notably Abuela, who in fact blames Mirabel for doing “something” that is affecting the magic. Mirabel then takes it upon herself to save their miracle and thus begins the movie’s quest narrative, except, instead of journeying into strange and dangerous lands, our hero dives deeper into family history and uncovers raw wounds. Eventually, Mirabel discovers the trauma that Abuela still carries within her, that permeates all her relationships and the hearts of all her gifted family members. To save the magic, Mirabel needs to heal the wounds that fester within her family. The vision her fortune-telling uncle shows her gives her a clue: she needs to embrace her sister, Isabella, whom she has a fraught relationship with. The family needs to see each other for who each person truly is and not assign their worth to the service their “gift” can perform. At the end of the day, this is a Disney film. Abuela sees the light and redeems herself, the family and their neighbours rebuild Casa Madrigal together, the family members’ gifts and the house’s magic are restored and everyone lives happily, magically – albeit a little messily – ever after. But even in this happy ending, there is truth. Intergenerational trauma can end if one generation “breaks the cycle”. Mirabel stands up to Abuela and says: “Luisa will never be strong enough. Isabella will never be perfect enough. You’re the one breaking our home… the miracle is dying because of you.” After visiting the scene of her trauma and understanding the root of the issue, Abuela realizes, “I was so afraid of losing it, that I lost sight of who our miracle was for.” And with that confrontation, the cycle is broken. One of the reasons this movie has resonated so deeply with immigrants – and particularly Latinx immigrants – is that inter-generational trauma is pervasive where there is a history of political violence and/or displacement. But inter-generational trauma can affect other families too, families that may not have suffered through terrible historic events, but milder forms of abuse or painful family experiences. The way inter-generational trauma works is that each generation, starting from Ancestor X (usually 3 or max 4 generations above us), is unable to escape the pain of their own
Should I follow the EASY routine?
Should I follow the EASY routine? No! Please follow the exact opposite. The “Eat – Activity – Sleep – You” routine is a pet concept of sleep trainers. It is heavily marketed as a quick-fix mantra for baby sleep but is, in fact, such a bizarre concept that it is really no wonder that millions of flummoxed parents try to follow it but find themselves either failing miserably or entering a never-ending cycle of training and disconnected parenting. The EASY routine is based on the idea that babies should eat (nurse/bottle feed), then play or engage in some activity and then sleep. Basically, they should not “feed to sleep”. The logic being that a baby who feeds to sleep will develop a “bad sleep association” and will need feeding after every sleep cycle to sleep again. This is totally senseless for so many reasons, starting with: 1. Babies are biologically programmed to feed to sleep. The suckling motion promotes sleep. Breastmilk contains sleepy hormones that help baby sleep. In fact, feeding to sleep is nature’s perfectly designed solution to baby sleep. 2. Babies may in fact even get hungry while they sleep. 3. Babies WANT to feed to sleep and will inevitably cry or resist sleep if denied the breast or bottle. This will lead to a cycle of sleep training. 4. Babies do wake at the end of sleep cycles and feeding is one of the easiest ways to help them enter the next sleep cycle. The idea that they will “self-soothe” if they do not have a sleep association is unscientific as babies are incapable of self-soothing. Oh, and please do not miss the YOU at the end. Apparently, once the baby is asleep, it’s free time for YOU. And somehow, I doubt sleep trainers mean enjoying an audiobook while holding your sleeping baby or taking a nap for yourself next to said baby! Nothing as comforting to the baby as that.
Why does it seem like “other babies” don’t need as much sleep management as my bub does?
Why does it seem like “other babies” don’t need as much sleep management as my bub does? Is your neighbour’s baby asleep on the couch while there is a TV blaring? Does your sister-in-law’s baby sleep through the night? Do you feel as though you’re the only “crazy person” obsessing over your baby’s sleep? You are not alone. We have all been there. Anyone who believes in practising sleep parenting wonders this from time to time. So, here are my thoughts on this: 1. There is no point in comparing with other babies because you never know the whole picture. How much is that other baby sleeping total in the day? It is EXTREMELY likely that a baby who should be clocking 14 hours of sleep is clocking 9 or 10 hours total and is grossly sleep deprived. Overtiredness, hyperactivity and crankiness resulting from that sleep deprivation could very well be waved off as “babies being babies.” 2. Many parents you know may have knowingly or unknowingly sleep trained. I know someone personally who told me his baby sleeps on her own when put in her crib with her favourite blanket within 5 minutes without any sleep training. I was gobsmacked. A few months later, he mentioned that his wife and he were “okay with a few minutes of fussing and crying”. So there you have it. They think they didn’t sleep train their baby using crying techniques but they actually did. 3. Let me assure you – almost everyone lies about their kid’s sleep. There is such a culture of shame around helping a child to sleep and “good sleep” has become such a sign of fashionable parenting that a LOT of people gloss over the troubles. 4. Parents with older kids sometimes simply forget. 5. What about that old adage, “all babies are different?” Well, to an extent. Babies are different but they are not THAT different. Their biological needs and rhythms are fairly similar, within a range. Having said that, genes do play a role, if not luck. Very often, parents have two siblings (or even twins) who sleep very differently, even if they are parented the same way. So, please do not get derailed by comparing with others, guys! Having a securely attached child who counts on you to manage their sleep is actually a good sign and pays off in the long run.
Do I need to wean the breast or the bottle after my baby turns 1?
Do I need to wean the breast or the bottle after my baby turns 1? As you approach your baby’s first birthday, you may wonder if you need to wean from breastfeeding. Your elders or friends or even paediatrician may suggest that you have done it for long enough and now it is, at best, not of much value and, at worst, a bad habit you will never get rid off. Well, we already know that nursing to sleep (or nursing in general) is not a bad habit and is, in fact, the biological norm. WHO recommends breastfeeding for a minimum of 2 years. Anthropologist Katherine Dettwyler has argued that the natural age of weaning for human babies is between 3 and 5 years by looking at various “life-history” variables (such as length of gestation, birth weight, growth rate, age at sexual maturity, age at eruption of teeth, life span, etc.) in primates and correlating them with their age of weaning, and then extrapolating that to humans. The second year of life is actually FULL of milestones, regressions and tough phases. There are clear regressions at 16 months, 18 months, 21 months and 24 months. In fact, toddler sleep is a whole different ballgame from infant sleep. Breastfeeding can be a life-saver during these tough phases. Breastmilk also continues to provide nutrition and antibodies in the second year of life and beyond. In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides: 29% of energy requirements 43% of protein requirements 36% of calcium requirements 75% of vitamin A requirements 76% of folate requirements 94% of vitamin B12 requirements 60% of vitamin C requirements — Dewey 2001 Breastfeeding is an invaluable sleep tool and can see you through regressions, teething, illness and regular wakings with minimal fuss. It is also a wonderful parenting tool in general and can be a source of connection, emotional regulation, comfort and so much more in your relationship with your child. In general, the benefits of breastfeeding to natural term – or when baby weans naturally – far outweigh the costs, if any. As far as bottles go, the American Academy of Paediatrics recommends weaning them by the age of 18 months. There are organizations that recommend weaning at 12 months. This encompasses bottles containing all kinds of milk – human, animal or formula. Bottles do cause pooling of milk in the mouth and can cause tooth decay if used at night. Bottles can also cause dental issues like overbite or teeth protrusion. They have been linked with respiratory risks as well. However, weaning bottles needs to be approached with a lot of care and empathy. As we know, children do have a natural suckling instinct which they would naturally outgrow sometime between 3 and 7 years. Breastfed babies do not need to be deprived of it but bottle-fed babies do, which is immensely unfair to the babies. Therefore, bottle weaning should not be harsh or abrupt. It should be done over several months with a progressive transition to cups. Milk consumed at night from a bottle can be diluted with water very, very gradually – like 10 ml every two weeks – so that baby’s body gets used to taking in those calories during the day and also accustomed to consuming water instead of milk at night.
How can I handle my newborns’ fussy evenings?
How can I handle my newborns’ fussy evenings? Evenings with newborns are called “the witching hour” as babies often cry inconsolably at this time of day. They may be fussy at the breast or they may cluster feed. They may refuse to sleep, though they look tired. Sometimes, this evening fussiness crosses over into what some doctors call “colic” – the infamous, unexplained phenomenon of a baby crying for 3 hours per day, 3 times a week for more than 3 weeks. Why Are Babies Fussy in the Evenings? There are several theories on what causes this evening fussiness. The first scapegoat, of course, is breastfeeding and we often hear people around us saying “baby is not getting enough milk” and then suggestions for offering top feeds begin. However, this is usually not the case. Babies do cluster feed and nurse very frequently. They could be tanking up their little bellies for the night ahead. They could be overstimulated and overtired from the day’s happenings. They may remember mum being active at this time during her pregnancy and want to be held, rocked and nurtured in the same way. Interestingly, anthropologists have found that babies in many traditional societies don’t have colic or evening fussiness. These babies are usually wrapped to their parents all day, nurse several times an hour and sleep on demand. Here are some ideas on how to soothe baby during the witching hour: ▲ Offer to nurse often▲ Burp baby and check for gas▲ Soothe with sound – play music or white noise, shush or hum while walking or rocking▲ Soothe with rhythmic motion – rock or sway with music or humming.▲ Wear baby in a sling or carrier▲ Change the caregiver as babies sometimes respond differently to a new touch and the primary caregiver sometimes just needs a break. This is a great time for daddies to step in and walk, rock or play with babies.▲ Go outside. Many babies calm down instantly outdoors.▲ Reduce stimulation by lowering light levels, number of people and noise.▲ Try a gentle massage or a warm bath, if the baby likes them.▲ Vary the nursing position or try nursing in motion. It’s helpful to have a menu of ways in which to soothe the baby. Often, something that worked before stops working and we need to try a new method or even a combination of methods.
Why can’t I just let my baby sleep when tired? Why all this drama?
Why can’t I just let my baby sleep when tired? Why all this drama? Because it won’t happen. In the beginning, we all try this. Very few of us go into parenting believing anything other than “baby will just fall asleep when tired”. However, we learn fairly quickly that this is not the case. Why is this: 1. Babies are unable to soothe themselves to sleep. If they fall asleep on their own, it is when they are tired to the point of exhaustion. 2. Overtired babies sleep badly because their bodies fill with the stress hormone cortisol. 3. Our modern environments are not conducive to baby sleep. 4. Babies who fell asleep whenever, wherever in pre-modern times were usually wrapped to their parents all day, nursing and sleeping on demand. 5. Artificial light for the last century has wreaked havoc with circadian rhythms. 6. Babies that our “elders” tell us about were likely grossly overtired or were sleeping in cloth cradles or…our elders don’t really remember. 7. “Other people’s babies” who fall asleep everywhere and anywhere are either grossly overtired or sleep trained (knowingly or unknowingly). If we attempt to make our babies fall asleep of their own accord, we are likely to end up with cranky, overtired babies who take short naps, cry before and after naps, seem fussy through the day, don’t eat well, wake more frequently at night, cry at night, have active nightwakings and wake early in the mornings. If that isn’t reason enough to practice a little sleep management and give our babies the support they need, I don’t know what is!🙂
My most prized baby related possession
My most prized baby related possession What do you think is my most prized baby related investment? The cot? Nope. It’s a repository of stuffed animals. The stroller? Delhi isn’t really a walking city, sadly. The breastpump? Too cumbersome and it was honestly easier to just lug baby everywhere with me. Expensive toys? They were played with twice each. The baby carrier? Ok, that comes pretty close. But, honestly, my most prized possession is the video baby monitor. It is my lifeline. With my video monitor, I can watch my babies while they sleep and spot the tiniest stir. I can leave my babies in a pitch dark and quiet room and yet dash back inside as soon as I need to bridge sleep or soothe or comfort. I don’t need to leave a door open and allow light or sound to leak in. I don’t need to wait for my babies to wake up to the extent that they cry or call out. And I don’t need to stay inside with them throughout if I don’t want to. The video baby monitor allows me to step out after bedtime (and once my babies are in deep sleep, often after a long cluster dreamfeeding spell), eat my dinner, finish work, watch TV, spend time with my husband, have some me time without compromising or risking my babies’ sleep in the slightest. I can pop back in to nurse or soothe them as needed and then pop back out again. Once my babies no longer needed to be held for naps, the video monitor became my best friend during the day as well. If you don’t have one already, please don’t even think twice. The video baby monitor will change your life.
Baby sleeping but you can’t? Practice sleep hygiene for yourself too.
Baby sleeping but you can’t? Practice sleep hygiene for yourself too. Baby is sleeping but you are just tossing and turning. Baby has woken up for the nth time at night and gone back to sleep but you are unable to go back to sleep. Baby is finally sleeping through the night after 3.5 years but you are still waking multiple times every night. Sounds familiar? When sleep deprivation becomes a part of our new normal, it becomes important to pay attention to sleep hygiene and healthy sleep practices for ourselves as well, like: 1. Set your body clock – go to sleep and wake up at the same time everyday. 2. Organize your day with a to-do list. Keep a pad and pen next to your bed to jot down any tasks that pop up in your head so that they don’t keep bouncing around in there! 3. Avoid caffeine late in the day – it stays in your bloodstream between 6 and 14 hours! 4. Quit smoking 5. Ask your doctor about side effects of any medication you may be taking 6. Watch out for the effects of too much alcohol – it may cause you to fall asleep but then wake a few hours later and be unable to sleep again 7. Make exercise a part of your day – but more than 3 hours before bedtime 8. Make your environment sleep-friendly – a comfortable bed, the right temperature, no noise, keep it dark. 9. Don’t spend too much awake time in bed as it’s best to associate the bed with sleep. 10. Have your own bedtime routine 11. Eat right and eat light before sleep 12. No screens for at least an hour before bedtime 13. Use progressive relaxation or meditation to slow down your body and mind (you could explore an audio file or app) Wishing you many nights of restful sleep!