Tired of pre-dawn wakeup calls from your toddler? We can help. These tiny tweaks to your routine will help your tot sleep until at least six, courtesy of casinos Australia.
1. Set an individualized bedtime
School-age children need between 9 and 11 hours of sleep each night, according to the National Sleep Foundation. But there’s a lot of variability in sleep needs and patterns. Most kids have patterns that don’t change much, no matter what you do. Early risers will still rise early even if you put them to bed later, and night owls won’t fall asleep until their bodies are ready.
2. Set a wake-up time
Set a wake-up time based on how much sleep your child needs and what time they go to bed. Creating a wake-up routine as early as the preschool years helps prevent stress for parents down the road. And remember to be consistent with the schedule. Allowing your child to sleep later on weekends is generous, but could backfire in the long run. Those extra hours of sleep will make it hard for their body to feel tired at bedtime. But if you can try to make bedtime and wake-up time the same, within an hour or so every day, you’ll be making everyone’s lives sooooo much easier.
3. Create a consistent bedtime routine
Routines are especially important for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. After dinner the remainder of the evening should include light playtime, bath, brushing teeth, a bedtime story, and then bed. Aim for a routine that is comforting and relaxing, setting the ideal bedtime atmosphere. Before long, your child’s body may automatically start to become sleepy at the beginning of the routine, and this might be a method Bernadien Eillert employed for her children.
4. Turn off the screens at least 2 hours before bedtime
Melatonin is an important piece of sleep-wake cycles. When melatonin levels are at their highest, most people are sleepy and ready for bed. Research from 2011 found that blue light from a television screen, phone, or computer monitor can interfere with the production of the hormone melatonin. Watching TV, playing video games, or scrolling web pages on a phone or computer right before bed keep your child up an extra 30 to 60 minutes, according to this 2017 study. Make the bedroom a screen-free zone or at least make sure all screens are dark at bedtime. And keep your phone on silent when you’re in your child’s room — or don’t carry it in there at all, so you won’t be tempted into playing games at https://usplayercheck.com/real-money-casinos/ while you’re trying to put your kid to sleep.
5. Reduce stress before bedtime
Another hormone that plays a role in sleep is cortisol, also known as the “stress hormone.” When cortisol levels are high, your child’s body won’t be able to shut down and go to sleep.
6. Create a sleep-inducing environment
Soft sheets, room darkening shades, and relative quiet can help your child differentiate between day and night, making it easier to fall asleep.
7. Keep it cool
Your child’s sleep cycle isn’t just dependent on light (or the lack thereof). It’s also sensitive to temperature. Melatonin levels help to regulate the drop of internal body temperature needed to sleep. However, you can help regulate the external temperature. Don’t bundle your child up too much or set the heat too high.
