Sleep

If your child is struggling with managing their emotions, it can affect the quality of their sleep. They may oversleep or not sleep enough. There are things you can do to help your child sleep better.

Tips to improve sleep quality

Help your child stick to a sleep routine

To help your child’s body get into a steady sleep routine, encourage them to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. They should do this even if it means having less sleep than usual. It might be difficult to do at first, but it will help their body get used to the routine. To support this routine you may want to introduce a predictable sequence of events before bed, such as bath time or reading a story.

Timings of food and exercise

Considering the timing your child eats and exercises can be really helpful to support their sleep. In relation to food, it is best to avoid going to sleep when hungry or very full. It is also helpful to avoid any caffeine in the afternoon or night, for some children their sleep may be affected by having caffeine at any point during the day.  Using physical exercise during the day can be a great tool to help your child feel more tired towards bedtime.  

Suggest your child uses the bed only for sleep

It is tempting for your child to relax in their bed in their free time. This can make them struggle to get to sleep at night. Encourage your child to use their bed for sleep. It will help their mind associate the bed with sleep.

Keep their room dark

The mind is affected by light. We tend to feel sleepy when the environment around us is dark. When it is bright, it helps us stay awake.

To help your child sleep better, keep their room completely dark at bedtime. Encourage them not to use their phone before bed, as it will make it harder to fall asleep. Phones emit light which prevents the body from releasing the sleep hormone that makes us sleepy. As such, we would also recommend avoiding high stimulation activities before bedtime e.g. watching television or playing video games.

In the morning, make their room bright by letting the light in.

Create a relaxing sleep environment

You can create a relaxing sleep environment by:

●      Using lavender scented items such as lavender spray or moisturiser

●      Giving them hot milk before bed.

●      Using sleep sounds or stories. You can find these on YouTube or apps like Headspace and Calm

●      They may find using the below Guided Relaxation video helpful to make them feel more relaxed and ready to sleep.

Get more support

●      National Sleep Charity: Provides advice and support to help improve sleep quality. Call the helpline between 7pm and 9pm, Sunday to Thursday on 03303 530 541.

●      Parent Talk -  Find further information and guidance on how you can support your child to sleep better. For advice on your specific issue, speak to one of our parenting coaches.