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Bedtime

An interior image of a bedroom

Experts acknowledge that sleep plays a significant role in brain development, and it is therefore important for children to get enough sleep as their bodies grow and mature. Plus it’s vital for your relationship that you and your partner have time to yourselves, too. 

Routine

Establishing a regular evening routine leading up to a consistent bedtime helps your child learn the importance of going to bed and keeps difficult or avoidant behaviour to a minimum. 

  • Involve your child in regular exercise earlier in the day as this may also help them sleep. The Change4Life campaign provides some great ideas on how you can help your child to be more active.
  • Encourage quieter activities at the end of the day such as reading, colouring or drawing.
  • Play calming background music and keep your voice calm and low.
  • Giving your child a warm bath before bed can help them relax and maintain calm. 
  • Avoid activities which will cause excitement leading up to bedtime e.g. spinning, running around, jumping, and climbing and high activity television or computer games.
  • Sit with your child and read books before bedtime and consider allowing the use of bedtime story tapes or calming music.
  • Try to avoid checking your watch or hurrying things along.
  • Avoid foods that contain caffeine or large amounts of refined sugar, as these make sleeping more difficult.

Environment

Consider your child’s bedroom, which may be very busy and stimulating:

  • Organise the toys and games so that they can be put away or put out of sight at night.
  • Minimise busy wall displays or decorations
  • Use dark curtains or blackout blinds to reduce the light stimulation. 
  • A night-light may help if your child dislikes the dark.
  • Use heavy duvets/blankets or a sleeping bag during colder months to provide consistent deeper pressure around the body.
  • Change to a sleeping bag made from a sheet or lightweight fabric in the summer to avoid losing bedclothes during the night.

Again, NHS Choices has some excellent advice on how to manage common sleep problems in children.

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