Night Rituals to Help Your Child Sleep
As adults, we know when it’s time for us hit the hay; however, children will fight the sleeping battle as much as they can. Even though they’re rubbing their little eyes, their natural instinct is to resist the urge to sleep and to keep playing for as long as possible.
While falling asleep can be easy for most, bedtime can become a battle zone when your little ones won’t sleep. Try these tips to learn how to conquer the nightly war.
Establish a Bedtime Routine
Most of us have a nightly routine. You might take a warm bath before settling down for bed or enjoy a cup of tea. For kids, finding their routine can help them relax before bed. Change into pajamas, brush their teeth, or even allow them read or watch a little tv before bed. This will help them know that sleep time is coming and it’s time to relax.
Create A Sleep Environment
Your child’s sleep cycle is dependent on a lot of factors but one of the most important ones is creating a peaceful and relaxing sleep environment. Dim the lights, make sure the temperature is just right (cooler is always better), turn on a humidifier (if needed), fluff the pillows, and
Set A Bedtime Range
A range allows for flexibility when learning your children’s sleep patterns. For example, a range between 8:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. allows for your little one to naturally settle down without the pressure of going to sleep at an exact time. Even as adults, it’s difficult trying to go to sleep at a certain time so pressuring your child to close their little eyes at a certain minute could be frustrating and stressful.
Set A Wakeup Time
A wake-up time is based on how much sleep your child gets depending on their bedtime range. Once an appropriate wake-up time is established, be consistent with the schedule. Avoid letting them have a few more minutes in bed because hitting the snooze button could cause more harm than good. A few more minutes of sleep could make them groggy and unmotivated for the day.