Sleep… We all know we need it but why is it so important for young kids to get a good night's sleep? And how do we help our kids get a good night's sleep?
WHY IS SLEEP IMPORTANT?
Sleep is important because it helps improve our memories and prepare our brain to form new memories.
For young children, a good night's sleep will help them be more alert while learning, their brains will be well rested enough to retain the information and remember what they learned, long term.
WHAT HAPPENS IS WE ARE LACKING SLEEP?
When kids are lacking sleep it can affect their mood and motivation. Lack of sleep can cause them to be irritable, forgetful and stressed out.
HOW MUCH SLEEP SHOULD MY CHILD GET?
A good amount of sleep for a 3 to 5 year old is around 10 to 13 hours of sleep a night. For children ages 6 to 12, around 9 to 12 hours a night is recommended.
HOW DO I HELP MY CHILD GET A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP?
Here are some suggestions to help you and your family start winding down.
- Have a consistent bedtime routine.
- Settle down at the same time every night.
- Make sure your child is letting out energy during the day but not too much energy that they’re falling asleep before bedtime. If you are going to have a super active day make sure they are going down for a nap midday.
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A GOOD BEDTIME ROUTINE AND SOME TIPS!
- Start diming the lights a couple hours before bedtime.
- Take away all electronics and TV an hour before bedtime.
- Give your kids a warm bath or foot soak. If your kids take a bath in the morning, you can try a foot soak instead. It’s fun and relaxing. Either way, try adding essential oils like lavender and Epsom salt to help them relax more.
- Let you kids pick out their pajamas.
- Brush their teeth.
- Lay in bed and read a book of their choice.
BED TIME
Here are some tips to help your child get a good night sleep!
- Turn a diffuser on or put essential oils on topically. I put oils on my kids’ head, spine and bottoms of feet.
- Turn a night light on.
- Turn on sleep sounds or a soft song. I love the Amazon Echo because there are a lot of sound and music options and I can turn it on from my phone or just tell Alexa.
- Give your child their favorite stuffed animal.
- Turn the temp down.
Make sure you don’t give your child sugar before bed because that will affect how quickly they fall asleep and how long they sleep.
If your child wakes up in the night, quietly walk them back to the room.
Consistency is key. My aunt told me once that it takes three days to break a habit. I tested it out when I stopped breastfeeding and I couldn’t believe how easy the fourth day was. We went from horrible to totally easy in three day.
I know it’s hard waking up at night to walk them back but give it three days and see if your child stays in bed longer or sleeps better.
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Xx Jeni
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