Your Child's Bedtime Routine: Why It Matters and How to Improve It
Reading Time: 2 min
Getting your child to bed on time can feel like a never-ending battle. But the truth is, having a set bedtime routine is essential for your child's health and well-being. In this blog post, we'll explore why bedtime routines are so important and offer tips on improving yours.
A good bedtime routine helps your child wind down at the end of the day and prepare for a restful night's sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, a bedtime routine should last 30 minutes to one hour and include calming activities like reading, listening to soft music, or taking a bath.
Bedtime routines are important because they help establish healthy sleep habits. Getting enough sleep is crucial for children's physical and mental development. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), school-aged children need nine to 12 hours of sleep each night. However, the CDC reports that 34.9% of children don't get the required sleep.
If you're struggling to get your child to bed on time, here are a few tips that may help:
Be Creative
Get involved with your child's bedtime routine by incorporating calming activities such as reading, coloring, a puzzle, or listening to an audiobook.
Be Consistent
Try to stick to the same bedtime routine every night. Consistency helps regulate your body's natural sleep cycle. When kids go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, their bodies begin to expect it and adjust accordingly. This leads to deeper, more restful sleep, which is crucial for growing bodies and developing brains.
Create a Relaxing Environment
Ensure your child's bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. A white noise machine can also be helpful to drown out outside noise, and soft textures such as a flannel blanket in the winter may help soothe your child to sleep. If possible, avoid using a nightlight as your child is much more sensitive to light than you are, and light signals the brain to wake up. If you can not overcome your child's fear of the dark, make sure the night light is out of direct sight from their bed and is on the dimmest setting possible.
Get Everyone on Board
If your child shares a room with siblings, make sure they're both on board with the bedtime routine and doing their part to stick to it. This will help avoid any disruptions during calm activities like reading or taking a bath.
Set an Alarm
To become more consistent with your child's routine, try setting an alarm 30 minutes before their desired bedtime. Once the alarm goes off, work together to get ready for bed.
With these tips in mind, you should be well on your way to creating a successful bedtime routine for your child. Remember — consistency is key! By sticking to the same routine every night, you'll be helping your child develop healthy sleep habits that will benefit them now and in the future.
