It is not a straightforward errand to get a baby to sleep without going through some rough moments. Mostly, kids will either cry, whine or delay going to bed-most parents can confirm this. Perhaps you are wondering how you can tell if your child has bedtime issues. The image source is Pexels.
It goes down to simple demands such as requests to take several glasses of water during bedtime, asking for extra bedtime hugs, and taking two or three trips to the bathroom. Such are delay tactics, and if your child exhibits either of the behaviours, among others, you have to reconsider your bedtime strategy. You can start by evaluating your baby's sleeping environment. Is it fit emotionally and physically? These insights will help you create a better sleeping environment for your child.
Find the Right Temperature
Many parents are cautious of how they dress their kids before sleeping, the linen they use on the beds, and the thermostat settings. All these are meant to facilitate a good night's sleep. Indeed, a thermostat is essential as it helps contain a suitable room temperature, a factor that plays a significant role in a child’s ability to sleep.
The use of warm, soft baby blankets can also assist those who do not have thermostats. It’s advisable to maintain a cool room as extremes of cold or warm temperatures interrupt the body’s sleep cycle. So, a child wakes up too early or gets restless during sleep.
Avoid Too Much Silence
It’s common for parents to tiptoe or avoid the slightest of sounds after putting a baby to bed. But, it’s not necessary. Some babies sleep better as a result of background noises. After all, it wasn’t silent in the womb before birth, and the baby would enjoy listening to your heartbeat and digestion, plus other external noises.
Try to identify the noise your child loves best, and you can download it online. For instance, your baby may react well to sleep because of rain noises, and another child may prefer vacuum noises.
Go for Calm Colours
One strategic means of creating a good night's sleep ambient is painting the kids' room with cool, neutral colours. It may not look like a significant detail, but it plays a major role in getting kids to sleep. The use of extravagant colours and over-decoration with toys stimulates the children during bedtime, making it difficult for you to make them sleep. Consider the use of earth colours. Also, extra toys, especially near the crib, bring mixed reactions as the baby may think it is playtime.
Declutter the Bedroom
A child’s bedroom should always be clean and clutter-free because any indications of disorder or mess create awareness of what the baby has not done. So, you can quickly shift from bedtime to cleaning time. A cluttered room also brings some excitement, which hinders the body from transitioning to relaxation and sleep mode.
But with clean space, your child experiences calming effects that bring sleep. So, if your children play in the evening, encourage them to clean up after play. This time it’s not about instilling a sense of responsibility but for bedtime preparation.
Darken the Bedroom
Some children are scared during the night and opt to sleep with the lights on. Although their concern is valid, it’s not good to offer too much light in the bedroom because the light interferes with the body rhythms that facilitate sleep. You get to sleep when the pineal gland in your brain releases the melatonin hormone, which makes you sleepy.
This process takes place better during the dark hours. Hence avoid electronic gadgets such as televisions just before bedtime. Generally, any light source inhibits the release of melatonin.
Make Bedtime Fun
Going to bed should be fun for kids. So, create positive associations with sleep and the bedrooms. For instance, do not use sleeping as a means for punishment when kids are in the wrong. Eventually, they may be put off anytime it’s bedtime for them. More so, no one wants to relax in a place that reminds them of an earlier experience of punishment.
Instead, think of creating calm and relaxing experiences that will make kids look forward to bedtime. For example, you can listen to some classic kids’ songs every night. Eventually, it will get into the kids’ system that after the lovely music, it’s bedtime.
Conclusion
These steps are vital in creating a great bedtime routine for your child. Bedtime doesn’t have to be hectic anymore. Implementing these tactics in your bedtime routine will make bedtime fun for kids and convenient for their guardians.
