How to help your child sleep better?
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Insomnia can affect people of all ages, and your son or daughter may not be getting the amount of sleep that’s recommended for their age group. Addressing your child’s sleep problems can promote better sleep each night so that your child will be more ready to start a new day each morning. The right changes to your kid’s routine may help your child sleep better.
Be mindful of their food consumption
Certain foods can interfere with sleep, and you may need to change the types of foods that you feed your child. Feeding your child a lot of spicy foods can upset their stomach and cause sleep problems. Spicy foods, along with cheese, chips, and sweet treats, can also cause nightmares that keep children up at night with fear. Some of the best foods for sleeping soundly throughout the night include nuts, rice, and fatty fish, and feeding your child more of these foods may help resolve any sleep issues.
Avoid scary subject matter before bedtime
Watching scary movies or reading scary books can all wreak havoc on a young person’s mind, and keeping your child away from any scary subject matter can elicit better sleep. Scary subject matter should definitely be avoided right before bedtime. A kid-friendly cartoon or book can put your child’s mind at greater ease and help them drift off to sleep more peacefully.
Address any medical concerns
Your child may have a medical condition that’s interfering with their ability to stay asleep consistently throughout each night. If your child complains of restless nights, you should take them to the doctor for an examination to determine if any underlying health issues are the problem. Digestive issues or conditions that cause chronic pain can interfere with sleep, and your child’s pediatrician may have the right solution. If your child has trouble breathing while trying to sleep, they may be suffering from sleep apnea. If this is the case, consider looking for the best TMJ treatment in Raleigh, NC, or your current location to solve the issue.
Make sure your child isn’t overheating
Getting too hot at night can make sleeping nearly impossible. It’s a good idea to check your home’s thermostat setting to make sure that your child’s bedroom isn’t getting too warm. The material of your child’s bedding may also cause overheating, and sheets made of cotton, bamboo, or another breathable material may be a better option.
Encourage your child to sleep in their own bed
Unless your child is very young or has special needs, they should be sleeping in their own bed regularly. Kids often want to sleep with their parents to feel more secure, but this can create more feelings of separation anxiety whenever they have to sleep in their own beds, which can make getting to sleep more difficult. If your child sleeps in the bed with you, their sleep may also be disrupted when you adjust your sleep positions at night.
Make your child’s bed more comfortable
Children’s bedrooms are usually crowded with many stuffed toys, gadgets, art materials, books, and other personal things. While these things are important in their learning development, make sure that your child’s bed is free from unnecessary things that aren’t used for sleeping.
You can make your child’s bedroom more comfortable by replacing old pillows with new ones. Aside from a regular pillow, you may include a knee pillow too that your child can place between the legs to ensure a comfortable and sound sleep at night. A leg or knee pillow helps moderate your child’s resting temperature to help improve posture during sleep.
It’s also important to choose the right lighting to make a child’s bedroom more comfortable. Adding layers of light fixtures is a good idea. You or your child can adjust the light intensity according to your liking. Good examples include recessed lighting and table lamps. You can also hang lights on each side of your child’s bed that won’t take up space on the nightstand.
Choose a light-emitting diode (LED) for lighting your child’s bedroom to avoid a burn accident in case your son or daughter accidentally touches the bulb. This light bulb is energy-efficient and doesn’t add uncomfortable warmth during sleep.
Stick to a consistent bedtime
Allowing your child to go to bed at different times each night can cause problems with sleep patterns. For better sleep, you should set a strict bedtime for your child. Even if your little one says they don’t feel tired at their scheduled bedtime, you should still encourage them to try to sleep at this time, and they’ll likely drift off to sleep without any problem. It’s a good idea to enforce this bedtime rule even on the weekends.
Helping your child sleep more soundly can be one of the best things that you’ll ever do as a parent. Finding the cause of your child’s sleep problems and implementing the right solution can make sleeping through the night a better experience.