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Setting Good Sleeping Habits In Children

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Setting Good Sleeping Habits In Children

Setting Good Sleeping Habits In Children

Are you looking for a parenting new year’s resolution? How about setting good habits? If late nights, early mornings and night time wandering is all too familiar, now is the time to act. Lack of sleep in children can have a huge effect on their health and wellbeing, and their performance at nursery or school as well as your stress levels – make 2019 the year that you set them good sleeping habits.

Sleep and adequate levels of sleep are 
vital in the early stages of development for a child, the right levels of relaxation for a child can aid their physical and mental health and wellbeing. Research suggests poor sleep habits at a young age can sometimes be linked to long term sleep problems in later life.

Bedtime Not Screen Time 
Did you know that the blue light emitted from smartphones, tablets and other digital devices can seriously disrupt sleep patterns? If your child loves to spend their evenings on their handheld gadgets, think about giving them a dedicated tech break of at least an hour before bedtime.

Listen To The Music
Calming, subtle and soothing music can really help to set the mood for a child, if they have had a very busy day and their adrenaline is still rushing around their body think about relaxing them. Acoustic and classic tracks are favourites for many children alongside quiet white noise.

Go Sugar Free
Sugary foods and drinks can contribute to sugar rushes in children which makes getting them to sleep a real struggle. It is important to make sure children go sugar free and drink water and milk-based drinks in the final few hours before bedtime to help them settle.

Get To The Root Of The Problem
If your child is struggling to sleep and you have factored in their homelife, you have created a calming bedroom environment and you have corrected their diet think about other factors. Think about their day at nursery or school and ask them if there is anything troubling them.

Is Your Child Getting Enough Zzzs?
As a rule of thumb, the recommended sleep durations are as follows:

Age Group Average Sleep Duration
4 – 12 months 12 – 16 hours
1 – 2 years 11 – 14 hours
3 – 5 years 10 – 13 hours
6 – 12 years 9 – 12 hours
13 – 18 years 8 – 10 hours

*Source: American Academy Of Sleep Medicine (AASM)

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