Sleep Habits – Children
Check out these tips to help your child sleep well!
Bedtime Routine
- Ideally, have your child go to bed at the same time each night and rise at the same time each morning.
- Help your child get ready for sleep. Take 15 – 30 minutes to do relaxing activities with them. You can read a story, listen to soothing music, snuggle, or quietly talk before turning off the lights. Do things in the same order each night, so your child knows the routine.
- Keep your child’s bedroom quiet, dark, or softly lit, and cool. Keep televisions, computers, phones and other screens out of their room.
- Turn off screens one hour before bedtime.
Physical Activity and Sleep
- Help your child be physically active during the day. Being active for 60 minutes a day can help your child sleep well.
- In the hours closer to bedtime, avoid stimulating activities such as running and jumping.
Eating Well and Sleep
- Healthy eating habits help to create healthy sleeping habits.
- Avoid foods that have caffeine such as chocolate, pop, energy drinks, and coffee.
If your Child Wakes Up
- If your child calls out for you during the night, quickly comfort them, then leave the room. Respond the same way each time.
- Your child may wake up because of a nightmare. You can help prevent these by controlling what your child watches on TV.
- Some children experience night terrors. Do not try to wake your child during a night terror. Reassure them and hold them to prevent injury.
- If your child sleepwalks, keep them safe by locking windows and exterior doors when sleeping.