Sweet Dreams: 6 ways to help your child get a better night’s sleep
Sleep is just as important as healthy eating and exercise when it comes to the development of your child according to the NHS. Being such an important factor in the growth of your child, you’re bound to want to create them the perfect sleep environment.
Here are a few helpful tips for providing your child (or even you!) with the ideal setting for nodding off from the bed experts at Children’s Bed Shop.
Have set times to sleep
Depending on the age of your child, they will need varying amounts of sleep. The NHS provides a helpful guideline on exactly how much. With these optimal amounts of sleep in mind, you’re going to want to create a sleeping pattern that suits your child’s needs. What would be helpful to keep in mind is what kind of sleeper they are.
Some children are early risers and will wake up early no-matter what time they’re put to bed, and others simply won’t be able to sleep until their body tells them they’re tired. Whatever your child’s needs, remember to be consistent!
Turn off the TV
Studies have shown that the light from a television can affect levels of the hormone, melatonin, in the brain. What does this mean? High melatonin levels are responsible for that feeling of sleepiness before bedtime, so the television can have an adverse effect in getting your child to feel sleepy in the night. Why not turn the television off an hour before they go to bed and replace it with story time instead?
Create a proper sleeping environment
When it’s time for bed, you want your child to know. Being able to differentiate between night and day is important for getting your child used to when to sleep. Blackout curtains (or even just dark ones) are a great way to keep the room dim and create a good environment for sleep. Make sure you keep toys out of your child’s field of vision too, as this will distract them. The dreams cabin bed is elevated and can be a great option to keep their eyes off the toys on the floor.
Don’t pressure them into sleeping
While having a set bedtime can be necessary for a child, you don’t want to be putting all the emphasis on sleep. Sometimes it can be hard to fall asleep straight away so try and make your child relaxed and settled down.
Control the temperature
We all know how hard it is getting to sleep on a hot night. Putting multiple duvets over your little one might seem like a smart thing to do to keep them from catching a cold, but you’re probably doing more harm than good. Remember that you can always adjust the temperature on your thermostat to keep the room at the perfect temperature.
Comfort their fears
A lot of children have a fear of the dark, this is natural. Ease your child’s fears by having a conversation with them. If this doesn’t work investing in a nightlight is a perfect way to wade off the monsters that lurk in the dark, putting your child’s mind at ease and relaxing them into a nice deep sleep.
