If you are a parent, you may be familiar with the common issue of having a child who either struggles to get to sleep or wakes up multiple times a night. Lack of sleep can affect our mood, make it more difficult to concentrate, and make simple tasks seem a lot harder.
If your child falls into this category, it could, over time, start to affect various aspects of their lives, both at home and at school.
Here are 4 ways to help your children sleep better.
Switch off the electronics
One of the worst things you can do is allow your children to use mobile phones, gaming consoles, or tablets before or during bedtime. Yes, it may make your life easier and give you a bit of breathing space, but it can seriously affect their sleep.
Blue light is not only bad for their general health, but given the stimulation kids get from watching videos or playing games, it’s no wonder they struggle to doze off. Put a ban on gadgets an hour or two before bedtime, and you could see a big difference.
A comfortable bed to sleep in
Over time, mattresses can start to deteriorate, which may cause springs to become more prominent and less protective padding to sleep on. If it’s been a long time since you purchased your child’s mattress, and you feel it could be exacerbating their sleep issues, it might be time to buy a new one.
It’s also worthwhile vacuuming your mattresses once a week or so to remove dust particles and bed mites, and it’s also wise to check for bed bugs, as an infestation can not only stop your children from sleeping but can be a nightmare to get rid of.
According to Thermal Clean, a bed bug removal specialist in Denver, there are 90 different types of bed bugs! Thankfully there are only three species you are likely to come across in your home. If you do encounter a problem, strip your beds, wash everything thoroughly and contact a professional to eradicate the problem.
Reduce their intake of liquids
If your children go to bed and fall asleep without issue but wake several times during the night for toilet breaks, you should consider reducing the amount of liquid they drink immediately before bed. Although it’s crucial that your kids remain hydrated, drinking too much can put pressure on their tummies and make them wake during the night.
Keeping liquids to a minimum before bed could be the key to them sleeping soundly for the whole night.
Do you have a bedtime routine?
Children thrive on structure, so if you don’t have a typical daily bedtime routine in place at the moment, adopt one. A bath followed by some supper and a bedtime story is perfectly acceptable and will help bedtime become more structured and far more successful.
If you already have a routine and it isn’t working, switch it up a bit. You may need to try and few things until you find what works best, but once you’ve cracked it, it will make night times far more peaceful and enjoyable.