Sleep is so essential to a person’s ability to be alert, present and happy during their waking life. Though many children love the idea of staying awake, it’s important to teach your child how to be respectful of their body’s need for quality rest every night. Consider the following comfort tricks you can use in order to help your kid sleep through the night.
Create a bedtime routine
Once you’ve finished dinner, it’s a great idea to start winding down for bed. Try to start the process around two hours before bedtime. You can start by reading a few bedtime stories and dimming the lights. If your child loves to take bubble baths, that’s a great way to unwind and prepare for bed. A glass of warm milk is always helpful as well.
Air Purifiers
Depending on the age of your child, essential oils can work perfectly to help the senses prepare for bed. Lavender is a great essential oil to use for sleep. Many companies provide essential oil blends that will encourage sleepiness and peaceful rest. Use an air purifier to improve indoor air quality. Replacing your ducts and air filters will help you breathe easier. Turn on a diffuser ten to twenty minutes before bedtime. Because essential oils are pretty strong, make sure add a certain amount in a diffuser with distilled water.
Provide a nightlight
Sometimes, children won’t fall asleep because they’re afraid of the dark. In this case, it’s a great idea to use a nightlight. Nightlights can serve as a security blanket for many. Find one that can illuminate the room without disrupting the brain’s ability to wind down for sleep.
Take a shorter nap
If you take a nap too late in the evening, it can be very difficult to fall asleep. If this is true for you as an adult, it’s definitely the case for young children. Try to get your child down for a nap by 12. Wake them up at 1 pm. Make sure the nap isn’t longer than an hour. Though you might feel guilty about waking them up, it’s all about making sure they can get quality rest the following night.
Though it might be a struggle at first, don’t give up. In many cases, your child might be testing you to see how far they can push the limit to get what they want. Stand firm because this isn’t about instant gratification. This is about making sure their body develops and gets the rest it truly needs.