Sleep is powerful and restorative. It impacts one’s sense of overall well-being, including physical, emotional, and metabolic health. Yet, most kids – including their parents – don’t get enough.
The key is to establish healthy habits that will promote a good night’s sleep. Let’s talk about how you can do that.
Create a Bedtime Routine – And Be Consistent
Routines are tough to keep when life gets busy, but kids need one they can follow every night. Establishing this can help to prepare their body for restful sleep.
This wind-down routine could look different for everyone, but it typically consists of taking a bath and getting into pajamas. It may be followed up with brushing teeth and a bedtime story. As soon as it’s done, it is time to turn the lights off and go to sleep.
The more you follow a routine, the more you will notice that your little one will begin to naturally get sleepy as they go through it. It can help them to fall asleep with ease — comfortably. This is much better than simply saying ‘bedtime,’ and expecting them to go from playing to sleep mode like flipping a switch.
Of course, for a nighttime routine to work, you need to be consistent. While vacations, holidays, and events may disrupt it, do your best to keep the routine as much as possible.
Make a Sleep-Friendly Environment
A sleep-friendly environment is dark and quiet. This type of space promotes good sleep – and it is what you need to create in your child’s bedroom.
Their space needs to be conducive to sleeping. Have a place to put up distracting toys, games, and the like. If possible, store devices, such as cell phones and tablets, outside of the room.
At bedtime, the room should be quiet, dark, and cool. Being cozy in bed will lead to better quality sleep and a greater chance that they will stay in bed all night.
Minimize Co-Sleeping
Parents love to cuddle their children. And in the middle of the night when they want to climb into your bed, it’s easy to snuggle in close as you all attempt to fall back asleep. Unfortunately, this situation doesn’t help anyone get a great night’s sleep.
To your child, getting to sleep in your bed sort of feels like a reward — leading to more frequent nighttime interruptions.
Kids need to get used to sleeping in their own beds. Therefore, the faster you can get them back into it, the better. Without all the unnecessary discussion and interaction, you are making it easier for them to fall back asleep.
Keep a chair next to their bed. Keep them comforted by your presence as they fall back asleep. Then, head back to your bed.
Additional Tips to Encourage Sleep
There are so many ways you can help your kids sleep better. While the key is to set a routine and remain consistent, you are going to also want to:
- Ensure they are getting the right amount of sleep (talk to your pediatrician).
- Put away electronics and screens about an hour before bedtime.
- Do not give your child caffeine and limit it for teens. No caffeine after 3 pm.
- Keep your kids active during the day.
- Eat a proper, satisfying dinner.
As long as you remain firm and consistent with creating a sleep routine, your child’s body will get used to it. It won’t be long before they are getting tired around bedtime and starting to wake up around the same time every day.
If you have any concerns about your child’s sleep habits, talk to your pediatrician. After all, getting a good night’s sleep plays an essential role in maintaining overall health.
Advocare Haddon Pediatric Group is a highly experienced team of pediatricians serving patients from birth through college. They have been an established leader in pediatrics for decades in the Haddon Heights and Mullica Hill areas of New Jersey.