You are not alone if you are dealing with a child with insomnia. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the disruption that it has caused in everyday life has led to many sleep issues in children. Fortunately, you are not helpless in dealing with this problem. Here are five tips to help your child to sleep better each night.
Sometimes you can combat the problem by simply switching up your child's sleeping environment. It is important to create an environment that is conducive to sleep. By reducing distractions, your child will become calmer and fall asleep faster.
Room-darkening shades, a white noise machine, and comfortable bedding can all work together to support good sleeping habits for your child. You also need to be conscious of keeping the bedroom at an ideal temperature. Most experts recommend keeping the bedroom at a temperature of 65 to 70°F. Anything warmer than this and your child may have problems getting comfortable enough to sleep. Remember that when it comes to sleeping environments, cool, dark, and quiet are your goals.
Children thrive on living with a schedule. This is particularly important when it comes to sleeping habits. You can help to establish a solid sleeping routine by setting a regular schedule for your child to follow. Do not make the mistake of thinking that keeping your child awake later at night will encourage them to sleep later in the morning for you.
While it is acceptable to let your child stay up a little longer on weekends or special occasions, you should not deviate more than one hour from the regular bedtime routine. Teens can go down a dangerous hole if you let them sleep too late on the weekends. All of those extra hours in the morning will make it more difficult for your child to fall asleep at night.
If your child is still having issues sleeping, it may be time to employ the help of the experts. This is particularly true if the sleeping issues are being caused by medical reasons. A doctor can help you to diagnose the problem and offer solutions to help.
For example, a medical professional can help you to give your child tips about how to sleep with TMJ pain. They can also provide you with a mouth guard to help to alleviate the discomfort so that your child sleeps more soundly. Your child's pediatrician can also offer suggestions if insomnia is becoming a persistent problem.
Today's children often exhibit sleeping habits because of their addiction to screens. It does not matter if the screen comes in the form of a smartphone, a tablet, a computer, or a television. The blue light that emanates from a screen sends a signal to the brain that the body is not ready for sleep yet by interfering with the production of the hormone melatonin.
In order to combat this problem, you should turn off screens at least two hours prior to the scheduled bedtime. Instead of playing a game on a tablet, encourage your child to curl up with a book. This will allow the child's brain to calm down and prepare for slumber.
Some children have problems sleeping because of an ongoing mental or emotional problem. If your child is prone to nightmares, it may be fear that is preventing them from falling asleep. Keeping the lines of communication open will help your child to know that they are protected and loved. It is a good idea to have these talks during the day instead of right before bedtime.
Your child also may simply have issues focusing their brain on sleeping. If this is the case, try not to make bedtime a divisive issue. This will only make the problem worse. Instead, you should focus on techniques that soothe their minds before going to bed.
Do not let bedtime turn into a battle in your family. Following these five tips can help your child to get the sleep that they need to live a healthy and happy life. Your entire family will benefit if your child is well-rested.
Katie earned a BA in English from WWU and loves to write. She also adores hiking in redwood forests and photography. She feels happiest around a campfire surrounded by friends and family.