Help Your Kids Get to Sleep with these Top Tips

This is a collaboration. 

Many kids struggle to get to sleep. Kids can be anxious about all kinds of things. They might be afraid of the dark, worried about wetting the bed or dreading a reoccurring nightmare. 

As a parent, it can be stressful trying to get your kids to go to sleep. Every evening feels like an ordeal even though you know how tired they are. While there is no easy answer, here are a few tips that will help. 

Atmosphere

We all need the right atmosphere to get to sleep at night. Even us adults might struggle to sleep in a messy or cluttered bedroom, so make sure that your child’s room is tidy before they go to bed. If your child is afraid of the dark, it can help to give them a night light, or to keep the room slightly lit (check out different options on the LED Hut website). You could also try using a lavender diffuser or room spray, as the scent is known to promote sleep. 

Turn off electronic devices

In our modern world, kids use electronic devices regularly. You might have a family tablet that they use to play games, or they might watch Netflix before bed. While there’s nothing wrong with this, it’s important to encourage your kids to switch off devices at least two hours before bedtime. Research has shown that electronic devices can supress the release of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, making it more difficult to fall asleep.   

A regular routine

Kids need stability, and that means a regular bedtime routine. They won’t get to sleep quickly if they’re going to bed at different times every night. So, give them a bedtime and stick to it. If they’re arguing about going to bed too early, reward them for good behaviour and push their bedtime back if they can prove they respect the time you give them. This will encourage them to be more positive about going to bed at a certain time every night. 

Food and drink

We all know how difficult it can be to drift off to sleep after a large, calorific meal. This is no different for kids. So, make sure they don’t eat anything too close to bedtime. Their stomach digesting could disrupt their sleep and stop them from drifting off. However, many parents do believe in a soothing drink before bedtime, like milk. This is because dairy products have plenty of tryptophan in them, which can induce drowsiness. 

Help alleviate fears

If anxiety is stopping your child from drifting off, it’s important to try to help them process their feelings and alleviate any fears. Talk to them about what they’re worried about and help them to feel safe. This might mean checking the wardrobes and under the bed for any “monsters” and showing them that they aren’t real. It’s also important to try to keep bedtime upbeat and fun, instead of making it feel like a daunting chore.