When a child or mother is reeling from trauma, sleep can feel impossible. Their nervous systems remain on high alert, bodies tense, and nights restless. Even after the immediate danger has passed, deep rest can remain elusive for weeks—sometimes years.
We understand that healing begins in the quiet hours. That’s why we created our Nourishing Sleep Packs—a thoughtfully curated set of tools designed to calm the nervous system, support better sleep, and plant seeds of restoration that families can carry with them wherever they go.
These packs are more than a gesture. They are a science-backed, trauma-informed intervention, offering both immediate comfort and enduring tools for rebuilding rest, regulation, and resilience.
😌 Weighted Blanket
Weighted blankets provide gentle, evenly distributed pressure known as Deep Pressure Stimulation (DPS), which activates the parasympathetic nervous system. This calms the body by lowering heart rate, reducing cortisol, and increasing melatonin and serotonin—essential hormones for sleep, mood, and recovery.
A study by Ackerley et al. (2015) found that using a weighted blanket improved sleep quality and reduced insomnia symptoms in individuals with anxiety and trauma histories.
⚫️ Eye Mask
Eye masks do more than block light—they signal to the brain that it’s time to rest. Darkness helps preserve melatonin levels, while the subtle, consistent pressure around the eyes may help stimulate the vagus nerve, enhancing parasympathetic activation and a sense of containment.
☁️ Cloud Pillow
Soft textures are powerful regulators for overstimulated nervous systems. The plush, sensory-friendly surface of this pillow offers tactile comfort that helps calm the limbic system (the emotional brain), reduce sensory overload, and reframe bedtime as a safe and nurturing experience.
🧡 Amber Clip Light
Evening light exposure deeply affects sleep quality. Blue light—common in overhead lights, phones, and screens—suppresses melatonin and disrupts circadian rhythms, making it harder to fall and stay asleep. To counter this, each pack includes a warm-toned amber clip light, designed to mimic natural evening light. This gentle light helps the body transition into rest without the stimulating effects of blue light.
A randomized controlled trial by Shechter et al. (2018) found that reducing blue light exposure in the evening significantly improved sleep quality in people with insomnia, highlighting the powerful role of light wavelength in sleep regulation.
At the Heart: The Sleep Kit for Kids
Each pack includes our signature Sleep Kit for Kids—a comprehensive, evidence-informed resource that supports both children and caregivers.
It includes:
🩵 The Sleep & Dream Book – A calming book that teaches children nine essential sleep skills, helping them wind down, fall asleep, and build lifelong self-regulation.
🪽 Drifting into Dreamland Audio – A deeply soothing audio journey that guides children into a state of rest, while giving caregivers a break from having to be the only soothing voice.
💙 The Good Sleep Guide for Parents – A practical, encouraging manual filled with science-backed strategies for restoring healthy sleep, written with simplicity and compassion for tired, overwhelmed minds.
The Sleep Kit for Kids has already supported over 1200 families across Australia to find better rest, calmer nights, and renewed connection. It is currently the focus of an observational research study led by Southern Cross University, with early outcomes showing strong positive results—reinforcing what families and frontline workers have already reported: this kit works.
The impact goes far beyond sleep.
These aren’t just tools for one night.
They’re invitations to begin again.
To find calm in chaos.
To rebuild regulation through rest.
To remember what it feels like to feel safe, in both body and mind.
And because families take these packs with them when they leave shelter care, they carry the momentum of healing forward—creating continuity, confidence, and capacity for long-term recovery.
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References
1. Ackerley, R., Badre, G., & Olausson, H. (2015). Positive effects of a weighted blanket on insomnia. Journal of Sleep Medicine & Disorders, 2(3), 1022. Read the study
2. Isaac, F., Toukhsati, S. R., Di Benedetto, M., & Kennedy, G. A. (2022). Assessment of the effectiveness of online and face-to-face cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia/nightmares in adults exposed to trauma. Trends in Telemedicine & E-Health, 3(2), 1–7. Read the study
3. Kanady, J. C., Talbot, L. S., Maguen, S., Straus, L. D., Richards, A., & Neylan, T. C. (2018). Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia reduces fear of sleep in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 14(7), 1193–1203. Read the study
4. Lin, X., Zhai, R., Mo, J., Sun, J., Chen, P., & Huang, Y. (2022). How do maternal emotion and sleep conditions affect infant sleep: a prospective cohort study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 22, Article 237. Read the study
5. Shechter, A., Kim, E. W., St-Onge, M.-P., & Westwood, A. J. (2018). Blocking nocturnal blue light for insomnia: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 96, 196–202. Read the study
6. Talbot, L. S., et al. (2014). Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Sleep, 37(2), 327–341. Read the study
7. van der Helm, E., Yao, J., Dutt, S., Rao, V., Saletin, J. M., & Walker, M. P. (2011). REM sleep depotentiates amygdala activity to previous emotional experiences. Current Biology, 21(23), 2029–2032. Read the study