5 Ways to Help Your Child Maximize Their Sleep

• Put an end to all exciting activities at least an hour before bedtime: Put away electronics, make bath time relaxing, read a bedtime story and create a relaxing environment that promotes sleepiness. Exposure to blue light can easily trick the body into believing its daytime and alertness will soon follow.
• Set a bedtime and stick to it: A consistent bedtime not only makes it easy for your child to fall asleep at bedtime, but one study has shown that it leads them to be better behaved and act out less. Irregular bedtimes have also been linked to poorer overall cognitive and behavioral development, with language delays, lower test scores and emotional difficulties.
• Let your child make decisions in their bedtime routine: While they can’t choose their bedtime, it’s great to give them a say in preparing for sleep. Let your child choose their pajamas, their bedtime story, or lead their prayers, doing so helps them feel empowered and they’ll look forward to this soothing routine.
• Cool down your child’s bedroom: Keeping cool at night isn’t just for adults. Make sure your child’s sleep environment is at a comfortable, cooler temperature to promote deeper sleep and reduce tossing and turning.
• Don’t give in to last minute requests: Don’t be surprised when you are needed more than ever at bedtime – one more sip of juice, one last story, or one last kiss. Make your child’s last minute request become a part of their bedtime routine, so they won’t feel as though anything was missed.

It can be a challenge to make sure your children are getting the proper amount of sleep for their age group. However, quality sleep is directly linked to our health, memory, happiness, creativity, and so much more, making it critical that our young minds of the future celebrate the joy of sleep early for a bright future.

To learn a new an easy strategy to help your children fall asleep faster on their own, click here!