Getting a good night’s sleep is absolutely essential for kids. It keeps them emotionally balanced, helps them concentrate at school, and can help prevent health problems. But just like adults, some children have trouble getting to sleep or sleeping through the night, so they might need a little help drifting off. Here are 7 tips for helping your kids get a good night’s sleep.
- Encourage kids to play after school rather than watch TV
Vegging out after school with a laptop or TV might be relaxing, but kids will sleep much better after engaging in physical activity. Not only will physical playtime tire them out, but reducing screen time will also improve your children’s sleep as the blue light that tablets and smartphones emit can interrupt sleep. Cut down on screen time by keeping TVs out of your children’s bedrooms and making sure older kids charge their phones in the living room at night.
- Try white noise for babies or toddlers
If your little one goes to bed earlier than the rest of the family, it can be difficult to keep the house quiet enough for them to sleep. Try playing some white noise to create a relaxing and quiet environment in your child’s bedroom, so that the rest of the household can carry on with their ordinary evening activities.
- Establish a bedtime routine
Kids often find comfort in predictable, consistent routines. Creating a bedtime routine to help your children relax before bed can help them get a good night’s sleep. For babies and toddlers, the routine might be a bath, book, and then bed. For older kids, you might chat about their day and then read a story to help them drift off to sleep.
- Create the right sleeping environment
Turn your child’s bedroom into a calm, peaceful space. Soft sheets, a gentle night-light and their favourite stuffed toys will help them feel safe and relaxed at night. Make sure their room is not too hot – cooler temperatures have been shown to promote deeper sleep.
- Foods to avoid before bed
Try not to feed your child any big meals before they go to bed, and make sure you avoid anything containing stimulants or sugar. Foods that combine protein and carbs, such as toast with peanut butter, are more likely to make kids feel sleepy than snacks like fruit or sweets.
- Make sure bedtime is set correctly
Kids need different amounts of sleep depending on their age. Most children will wake up at the same time every day no matter what time they go to bed, so try to figure out how many hours of sleep your child needs and then put them to bed accordingly.
- Install roller shutters on bedroom windows
Roller shutters are a wonderful way to cover windows as they reduce noise, block out light, and maintain airflow throughout the room. Because roller shutters insulate windows, they will help keep a room cool during summer, and retain warmth during winter. They also provide privacy, which can be particularly important if your child naps during the day. Blocking out early morning or late evening sun through summer with a roller shutter can help improve the ability of your child to sleep on or go to bed at a set time.
Nu-Style Shutters is an Australian owned and operated company installing roller shutters in Perth from Yanchep to Mandurah. They provide high quality products and workmanship, and their roller shutters are lightweight but strong, giving you maximum durability and fantastic value for money. For a free onsite measure and quote, call Nu-Style on 1300 798 776 or visit www.nustyleshutters.com.au
