Sleep is so important for our children. Without enough sleep their health and wellbeing will be impacted. Children who are sleep deprived are prone to problems such as obesity, lack of focus and a weaker immune system. But despite the importance of sleep, bedtime can still be a battle. The tips below will help ensure your children sleep better.

Establish A Bedtime Routine

It’s a good idea to have a bedtime routine from a few months old. Always be consistent, stick with a set bedtime for them. This will vary depending on the age of your child. Younger children will need more sleep.

Irregular bedtimes can cause issues for your child, such as effecting their body clock and struggling to regulate their behaviour. Even teenagers need eight to ten hours sleep a night, whilst toddlers benefit from up to fourteen hours sleep a night.

Having a set bedtime will naturally give the body cues to go to sleep. You want to follow a repetitive format. With bath run, teeth brushed, book read and lights dimmed. Also some parents like to use white noise devices with low pitched sounds or aromatherapy. Good essential oils to try include Lavender and Chamomile. These can help children feel more relaxed and calm.

A Soft Toy For Comfort

A soft toy can give them comfort and reassurance and coax them off to sleep. Children have a very strong bond with these toys. When mine were little one had his rabbit toy and the other a lion, cuddling in with that toy was part of their sleep routine.

The Palm Pals are super soft toys, that are small in size so perfect for leaving plenty of space in the bed for your child. Bedtime can be difficult for children as they are apart from their parents for a long duration of time. Soft toys can help fill that gap and in doing so become a big part of our childhood. They also help us settle better at night, they soothe children if they are feeling unsettled or frightened.

Invest In A Good Bed And Mattress

When buying a kids bed make sure you look for a supportive mattress. Ideally a firm or medium firm mattress is best, a soft mattress can lead to neck or back pain as it can impact the alignment of their spine. If children are uncomfortable they will not sleep as well. When  they are tired they will not focus as well at school, they can become angry and disruptive.

If you want more advice making your selection you could ask the experts over at the Better Bed Company. Children outgrow their bed quickly but sleep is such a big part of their development its essential to make the right choice when purchasing a children’s bed and mattress.

Turn Off The TV

Make sure your children have at least an hour break from watching the TV or playing on their consoles before going to sleep. Screen time influences the production of melatonin. Darkness helps us make more of it and the more we have of this hormone the better we sleep.

Bedtime Snack Choices

A bedtime snack can help your children sleep better. It stops them waking up because they are hungry. Some excellent choices of bedtime snacks include bananas, eggs and nuts. Avoid anything that has caffeine, is spicy or acidic, you want food that is gentle on their digestive system.

Too much sugar is a bad idea too! Even if your children manage to nod off their sleep will not be as deep or restorative. It’s not all about the quantity of sleep they get, but the quality of it too.

The Bedroom Environment

I have mentioned the importance of a good bed and mattress but other things you need to consider for a sleep friendly bedroom are avoiding distractions. When my boys were little I kept their bedrooms very tidy and calm, toys and games were kept in the playroom.

You don’t want to get children too excited before bed. Therefore bedrooms should be reserved for sleep not playtime if you have enough space in your home to do that of course.

Obviously this does not include a cuddly toy to help them sleep.

You should also make sure the bedroom is the right temperature for sleep, not too cold or hot.

Staying Active

Inactive children will take longer to go to sleep. It’s worthwhile ensuring your children are active each day so they go to sleep quicker at night. Unfortunately many children have sedentary lifestyles with limited physical movement. I am shocked how long my own teenagers will sit and watch YouTube or game for. Each hour of sitting can lead to three minutes longer going to sleep. So at the weekends in particular make sure everyone gets some fresh air and exercise, even if the weather is gloomy they need to stretch those legs!

Be A Role Model

It will be easier to help your children sleep better if you are a positive role model. Remember children are always watching what you do and will copy your behaviour. Always show they how much you value sleep. Don’t be up all hours gaming yourself, unfortunately my boys have learnt some bad habits from their dad! Instead show them you follow a bedtime routine too.

Nightwear For Sleep

Make sure you pick out natural materials for your children’s nightwear. They should be light and comfortable, good options are cotton or bamboo. Ideally you want breathable fabric so they don’t overheat in the night. Synthetic materials such as polyester and nylon can make their body feel sweaty in the night. This always goes for bedding too, make sure that is breathable as well.

Hopefully by following these tips your child will now sleep much better.