Sleep is essential for everyone, but it is especially critical for promoting children’s growth and development. Inadequate sleep negatively impacts all domains of a child’s life including their learning, memory, mood, and behavior. ‘Sleep hygiene” describes caregiver and child practices that when implemented consistently, contribute to not only good sleep quality but also sufficient sleep duration – which helps children reach their full potential the next day!
The following are helpful tips for fostering good sleep hygiene:
- Create a Routine:
- Have a predictable series of events that lead up to bedtime.
- These activities should promote relaxation, like taking a bath and reading a book.
- These types of calming bedtime activities become “sleep cues” that help your child become more relaxed and ready for bed.
- Keep this routine consistent, short, and pleasant.
- These activities should promote relaxation, like taking a bath and reading a book.
- Stick to the same bedtime and waketime every day even on weekends, otherwise it can throw off sleep wake patterns.
- Have a predictable series of events that lead up to bedtime.
- Establish Healthy Sleep Habits:
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- Beds are for sleeping!
- Avoid having your child use their bed for activities other than sleeping (e.g., watching TV, completing homework) this way their bodies associate being in bed with sleep.
- If your child is not able to sleep (i.e., approximately 20 minutes of no sleep), it is also important that they get out of bed and do a calming activity as to avoid bed being associated with sleeplessness.
- Regular daily exercise can promote good sleep.
- However, try not to have your children engage in exercise within 2 hours of bedtime because it may gear their bodies up instead of calming them down.
- Have a transitional object if needed.
- For younger children, a comforting soft animal or soft blanket can help not only cue to them that it is bedtime, but it can provide comfort throughout the night.
- Try to avoid caffeine after lunch (this includes chocolate and soda).
- Have a technology curfew: avoid TV, video games, smart phone use at least one hour before bed.
- Beds are for sleeping!
- Keep a Comfortable Sleep Environment:
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- Room temperature is important.
- The American Academy of Sleep medicine recommends that the ideal bedroom temperature is between 60-67 degrees.
- Bedrooms should be dark and not too distracting
- Dim the indoor lights as bedtime approaches to promote natural biological clock and melatonin production.
- Consider using white noise or a fan to drown out unpredictable or distracting sounds.
- Room temperature is important.
- The National Sleep Foundation and American Academy of Sleep Medicine have established scientifically informed guidelines for how much sleep children need at different ages:
- Newborn (0 to 3 months): Recommended 14 – 17 hours
- Infant (4 to 11 months): Recommended 12 – 15 hours
- Toddler (1 to 2 years): Recommended 11 – 14 hours
- Preschool (3 to 5 years): Recommended 10 – 13 hours
- School age (6 to 13 years): Recommended 9 – 11 hours
- Teen (14 to 17 years): Recommended 8 – 10 hours
By making a few changes to your family’s routine and bedroom environment, both you and your child can learn how to practice good sleep hygiene and benefit from the boost in their overall health and wellbeing that a good night’s sleep provides. If after implementing consistent sleep hygiene strategies you find that your child is still having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, it might be time to consider consulting with a pediatrician or mental health professional to help determine the cause and learn techniques to support your child’s sleep.
Resources:
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine
- American Sleep Association
- National Sleep Foundation
