For kids between the ages of 1 to 2 they need 11 14 hours while those between the ages of 3 to 5 need 10 13 hours a day After a long summer many children need to reset their biological clocks before they can settle into their new school lifestyle A lack of sleep can adversely affect performance attention span and physical health Ready to fix your childs sleep schedule These expert approved tips can help your little ones snooze better through the night
CREATE A CONSISTENT BEDTIME AND WAKE UP ROUTINE
Not having the required snooze time has been linked to a number of conditions in both parents and children The first tip to easily combat this is to create a consistent bedtime and wake up routine
Every night perform bedtime rituals that will ease your childs mind and prepare their body for sleep These include soothing activities such as bathing reading or even singing lullabies Following a consistent routine helps your child know its time for bed while also developing their internal clock
For kids returning to a school schedule Wake your child up around the same time every day and begin reinstating the school night bedtime routines that may have become relaxed over the break Start by scheduling consistent bath and pajama time story time and other pre bedtime activities as part of the nighttime adjustment process When children know what to expect they feel much safer and at ease
PICK AN EFFECTIVE START DATE
In all honesty there is never truly a perfect time to start sleep training or enforcing a new sleep schedule However it is important to avoid scheduling the change in sleep routines around major events in your childs life time changes a new home or relocation a different bedroom etc
Typically many parents decide to start the process of readjusting sleep schedules on Fridays This lets them take advantage of the upcoming weekend so they wont have to worry about sleep deprivation at work Some use vacation days instead of Fridays as they work the same Also remember Sleep training or Sleep rescheduling will always be more successful if your child has been napping well
ESTABLISH A SETTING OR A SCENE
When it comes to your childs sleep schedule the environment is vital First you must establish a relaxing setting at bedtime Keep the room quiet dark cool and comfortable
Ensure that you keep anything unnecessarily stimulating out of the equation this includes tickling watching television or playing with electronic toys All electronics should be turned off about an hour or two before bedtime and they should be taken out of the bedroom For the little ones who love to play games like the many found on sites like csgo bet sites turning those devices off even earlier would be beneficial Decrease light exposure a minimum of two hours before bedtime This helps your childs system to adjust to the lull of nighttime slowly and in turn helps them prepare for a good nights rest
CAPITALIZE ON DAILY ACTIVITIES
While it is crucial and important to establish a relaxing setting when bedtime comes knocking the childs activities during the day are just as crucial to how well they sleep at nighttime To help your child find better sleep when due it is advisable to keep them physically active during the day They can have a fun day playing or running around even after school and perhaps a nap
However as time starts to pass and nighttime starts approaching you must gradually wind down the activities Avoid any rigorous exercise two hours before bedtime This trick as old as time keeps your children all played out and all wriggled out leaving their bodies craving for rest and a time out
ESTABLISH A POSITIVE BEDTIME RITUAL
The amount of sleep a child needs depends on their age and other metabolic factors However developing a
series of activities that can be closely associated with bedtime held out tremendously Bedtime routines help to create healthy sleep patterns because as mentioned earlier familiar cues help your child know its time to simmer downRituals can be essential during chaotic times like when a new baby comes home or when youre on the road Routines help children know what to expect which in turn gives them a sense of control and certainty Some ideas for positive bedtime rituals include reading bedtime stories snuggling or listening to soothing music You can also implement the use of Transitional sleep objects like a special stuffed animal or precious blanketall of these help in settling into a better planned sleep schedule
WATCH OUT FOR TROUBLESOME DINNER
Having the wrong kind of dinner before going to bed can bring unnecessary trouble that neither you nor your child wants It is crucial to keep an eye on what your child eats before going to sleep as it affects their schedule unbelievably First Avoid foods or drinks that contain caffeine and any medication that has a stimulant before bedtime
While trying to keep things balanced it is also essential that your child does not go to bed hungry Still in the spirit of balance having a good healthy dinner means they must not have a big meal before bedtime Children should not drink caffeine and for adolescents who do it should be limited to the morning only No caffeine should be consumed after noon or it may interfere with the childs ability to sleep This includes coffee as well as any other caffeinated beverage like tea and soda
STAY CONSISTENT
Getting your child to readjust might be as frustrating as getting them to do many other things However despite how frustrating things might get it is crucial to remain consistent while exercising patience One of the biggest mistakes parents make when trying to get their little ones to settle into a new sleeping schedule is being inconsistent no matter what sleep training method they use It is essential to keep at it until you notice changes and eventually a smooth rhythm
Teaching and molding childrens habits indeed are no easy feat However with patience and the right guidance anything not just fixing their sleep schedule becomes achievable With these tips it is time to improve the quality and amount of your little ones snooze time
A good nights sleep is essential to the growth and development of children and children require much more sleep than adults Sometimes however children are unable to get the necessary amounts of nightly sleep that they need and it can sometimes be attributed to a sleep disorder
At The Alaska Sleep Clinic we provide consultation and therapeutic management for a wide variety of pediatric sleep disorders We understand that your childs health is important to you and we want to assure you that our Board Certified Sleep Physicians are highly adept at treating child sleep disorders
Children require more special care than adults and it is important to us that our physicians are trained in communicating with children of all ages and are experienced in calming the fears of nervous young patients while providing quality care for them in a relaxed non threatening environment
Author Bio Theresa Cofield is a freelance writer who has a love for creativity and a passion for helping others She works as a blogger at csgobettinggcom where she covers the topics of esports and the gaming industryI will be waiting for your feedback
