4 Tips to Help Children Get a Better Night’s Sleep

Recent years have seen a lot of scientific research look into the role of sleep in our lives. This has caused many adults to start taking steps to improve their sleep quality. In children, the importance of sleep has had more recognition in the past, but many parents now wonder if there are also things that they can do to improve their children’s sleep quality.

The answer is yes, there are a number of things that can improve sleep quality in kids and teens without resorting to pharmaceuticals. Behavioural and environmental changes can be very effective. This blog offers several suggestions for improving sleep in children, from toddlers up to early adolescence.

1. Set a screen curfew

Games, television, and other screen-based activities are highly mentally stimulating for children and can prevent them from winding down properly before bed. It is also thought that children may be especially affected by the melatonin-suppressing effects of the blue light that screens emit – melatonin being a hormone that makes them sleepy.

They should be off of screens for at least one hour before their sleeping time, and any room where there is a children’s bed should be a TV and screen-free zone.

2. Get them into a consistent routine

This does not only mean a consistent bedtime and waking time, but a routine which helps your child wind down before bed. Most parents do this when their child is still a baby or very young, but many gradually slip out of the habit as their child becomes more independent. This is a mistake. Even for adults, an evening routine that relaxes them and gets them in the right frame of mind for sleeping promotes higher-quality sleep. The same is true for children.

As for the actual routine, it can be specific to the child. Some popular things to include are taking a bath, changing into pyjamas, or reading.

3. Make the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet

Outside our houses, the temperature and level of light drops during the evening. As beneficial as well-insulated houses and electric lights have been for people, they deprive our bodies of valuable signals which let us know it’s time for bed.

Dimming lights in the evening and lowering the thermostat temperature or opening some windows will help encourage your child’s natural sleep response to kick in.

4. Avoid caffeine

While teens can have a small amount of caffeine, such as a cup of coffee, each day, it is best for young children to avoid it altogether. Chances are they’re not brewing themselves a cup of joe each morning, but remember that caffeine can also be found in sodas and chocolate.

If these cannot be avoided altogether, then try to only let your child have them more than six hours before bedtime.

Conclusion

The importance of sleep for children cannot be overstated, but there is more to it than just sending them to bed on time. You want to make sure that they are sleeping as soundly as possible for as much time as possible before the morning. Good sleep hygiene practices like those listed above will help them get the most out of their slumber.

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Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.