From toddlers to teenagers, the National Sleep Foundation experts recommend that your child should receive eight to 14 hours of shut-eye a night. A good night’s rest can make a world of difference with sufficient sleep, your child will be more able to stick to their daily routines, have sustained energy and exhibit positive behaviors. However, what do you do when your child doesn’t easily fall or stay asleep? How can you ensure they get enough sleep to be well-rested? Here are some tips that will help your support your child’s sleeping habits.
Establish a Routine
Establish a regular sleep routine for your child so they are prepared for slumber in both their body and their mind. A habitual bedtime routine will help set your child’s circadian clock, the body’s internal clock that regulates its natural cycles of sleeping and waking, eating and other physiological processes. This internal clock will induce sleep at the proper bedtimes and give their body the rest it needs. Therefore, you should have a consistent bedtime that you enforce so your child sleeps and rises at the same times every day.
Create Long-Lasting Sleep Associations
As you and your child settle into a bedtime routine, take notice of the ways in which you help them fall asleep, as these nuanced habits become sleep associations. These kinds of routines may interfere with your child’s ability to fall asleep on their own, as they will be reliant on you to provide them. For example, if you sing to your child, read them a story or rub their back in order to get them to sleep, they may not be able to fall asleep without those things. However, you can give them tools and methods that will make them self-sufficient sleepers. Some sustainable sleep associations are the infusion of white noise into the the bedroom or a meditation podcast that inspires relaxation and a settled mind.
Dinnertime
Your child should have dinner two to three hours before they go to sleep. If your child has food more than three hours before bedtime, they will likely experience hunger pangs that keep them up. Alternatively, if they have a heavy meal less than two hours before bed, they will feel bloated and uncomfortable in bed.
When making planning dinner, opt for ingredients that support sleep, such as walnuts, cheese, lettuce and tuna. Additionally, make sure you limit any sugar intake, as a high blood sugar level will keep them alert and energized when their bedtime arrives.
Evening Activities
Post-dinner activities should be designed to calm and soothe your child, and prepare them for bedtime. Refrain from any late-night, physically active activities, but instead engage in relaxing activities such as reading, listening to podcasts, kid-friendly meditation and journaling. Technology use should also be restricted before bedtime, as the blue light from screens can keep your kid up even after the device is turned off. Research from Bringham and Women’s Hospital shows that the light from screens suppresses melatonin levels and alters sleepiness, resulting in a restless night. Have a designated storage space for your child’s tablet or smartphone so they aren’t tempted to look at screens before bed.
The Bedroom
Your child’s bedroom should be a place designed for slumber. Create a soothing space through the implementation of soft colors, simple furniture and storage that keeps the room decluttered. Pay special attention to your child’s bed. Make sure they enjoy both their bed frame and their mattress. If the mattress needs to be replaced, do research online with your child to see which type fits their needs.
When you establish nightly habits, you can help your child get a good night’s rest. Even small changes in their bedtime routine can make a world of difference. Try these sleep-inducing techniques with your child to see what works best for them.
