Do you often find it challenging to put your children to bed? Is your child often throwing tantrums when it’s time to retire for sleep time? Sleep is an essential element of a child’s physical and mental health, especially as they are in a growing phase and most development occurs while we are sleeping. Yet many children resist bedtime. The good news is that there are a lot of small steps you can take to create a sleep-friendly environment that helps your children fall asleep faster and better.
While healthy and consistent bedtime rituals are proven to establish good habits and aid in this goal, in this article, we walk you specifically through steps to build the right atmosphere in the room for your child to sleep.
The environment of the room at bedtime plays a vital role in helping your child sleep peacefully. The right environment is one that’s free of clutter and distractions. The surroundings should be quiet as noise disturbs the sleeping experience. The room should be dark and, ideally, be free of odors or have a pleasant fragrance. From mounting blackout custom curtains to maintaining the right temperature in the room, all these little things contribute towards a sleep-friendly environment for your child, so let’s walk you through these in detail now.
Cut the clutter.
While it is normal for kids to play with their toys during the day and scatter them around the room, you should have them put the toys away before bedtime. Having a decluttered sleeping space generally has a calming effect. It helps your child to ease into slumber without much fuss.
You must encourage your children to pick up their toys after them to instill good habits in them. When you do this, you also establish some order around your home. So, instead of waiting until bedtime to pick toys, encourage your kids to store the toys away after playing.
Ideal temperature
Another critical factor in creating the ideal bedroom for sleep is the room’s temperature. If your child is feeling cold, they will spend the night shivering without sleeping. Similarly, if the room temperature is too high, your child will end up sweating more than sleeping peacefully. So make sure the temperature is to their comfort. Sleep experts recommend reducing the temperature by a few degrees at bedtime, as cool rooms are more conducive to sleep.
Ambient lighting
A dark environment plays a vital role in creating the ideal atmosphere for sleeping, and bright lights tend to disturb the body’s circadian rhythm. Your children’s rooms should be dark to give a cue to your child’s mind and body that it’s time to unwind and close the day. Turn off any bright lights in the room and make the room dark. Consider mounting blackout curtains or custom roman shades to block out any light from street lights. If your child is scared of the dark, install a small, low-intensity light.
Comfortable bed and linen
The bed should be comfortable and the right size so that your child can sleep peacefully. The bed linen, including pillows, sheets, and comforters, should be fresh, clean, and cool. You can add extra comfy pillows to create a relaxing atmosphere. The choice of mattress is also very important, as too hard or too soft a mattress will keep your child awake and possibly not offer the right level of neck and back support their little bodies need.
Keep electronic devices out.
According to recent research, electronic devices emit blue light that disturbs sleep. Studies show that blue light stimulates the production of melatonin, a sleep hormone. This hormone keeps the mind alert, thus increasing the time to fall asleep. So, to help your child sleep faster and better, you should keep all electronic devices out of the room. Experts advise that you turn your devices off at least one hour before going to sleep to help your mind rest and retire from the excitement of the day.
Conclusion
If you set a consistent bedtime routine for your child, you have already won half the battle. Human nature is that if they continue to do something regularly, their body will automatically adopt that habit. Similarly, when the time comes, your child will automatically go to sleep as he or she learns to sleep. That being said, making the bedroom cozier and facilitating a comfortable sleep ambience is equally critical as it offers cues to your child’s mind and body that it’s time to sleep and rejuvenate for the next day. So take these steps and give them the healthy, peaceful environment they need at bedtime!
