No matter what their age, it’s important that your child gets plenty of sleep on a routine basis. Sleep issues are common among most children, and it’s normal for your kid to go through phases where they regress and wake up during the night. However, there is a certain point when sleep trouble can be problematic and can affect your child’s growth, development, mood, learning, and more.
How Much Sleep Does Your Child Need?
While individual needs may vary for a variety of reasons, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the following minimum amounts per day:
- Newborns: 14-17 hours
- Infants: 12-16 hours
- Toddlers: 11-14 hours
- Preschoolers: 10-13 hours
- School-Age Children: 9-12 hours
- Teenagers: 8-10 hours
Keep in mind that this includes not just sleeping at night, but naps taken during the day as well. If your child consistently gets less than the suggested amount for their current age group, it may be time to take action.
What Causes Sleeping Problems in Children?
There are numerous reasons your child may have trouble sleeping. Some are only temporary, such as a sudden life change, illness, or growth spurt during infancy. However, there could be more serious problems that lead to restless nights, including anxiety, birth trauma, and chronic diseases or conditions. In these cases, you should seek the help of a professional to give your child the treatment and support they need.
Typically, the most common cause of poor sleep is poor lifestyle choices, including a lack of a good bedtime routine. While it takes some dedication and planning, it is possible to help your child build better habits that help them sleep well on a consistent basis.
How Do You Create a Good Bedtime Routine?
Children and adults alike thrive with solid routines. The body works in such a way as to anticipate certain actions and responses when they become daily habits. Over time, you can help train your child to develop an automatic response that prepares them for sleep with a good bedtime routine.
Develop a Set Schedule
The first and most important step in a nighttime regimen is to set a bedtime and stick to it. This will vary from family to family depending on your schedule. Just make sure you establish a time that allows your child to get the minimum daily sleep requirement based on their typical wake-up time.
Make it a priority to have your child in bed, with the lights out and ready for sleep, at the same time every night.
Incorporate Calming Activities
Children need time to relax and calm down at the end of the day. For some, this can be done with a relaxing bath using lavender body wash. Listening to calming music or singing songs can be comforting and soothing. Others enjoy reading a book or simply spending a few minutes in conversation alone with a parent.
Rituals can have a powerful effect on sleep length and quality, so don’t underestimate the power of simple yet repetitive actions. Using the restroom, brushing their teeth, and cleaning their faces can all be simple but important steps that signal the cue that it’s time to sleep.
Start the Routine Early
Don’t wait until ten minutes before bedtime to start the process of preparing for sleep. An hour is a more realistic time frame to give your child a good chance to unwind for the evening. You can start the process by turning off all screens and having your child switch to quieter activities, such as reading, drawing, or doing a puzzle. This might also be a good time to offer a healthy snack so your child is satisfied through the night, especially if you eat dinner more than two hours before bedtime.
If your child has a hard time sleeping well enough or long enough at night, try creating a better bedtime routine.
If the problem persists, be sure to let your child’s doctor know about your concerns. Good sleep is essential for children, so interventions may be necessary to keep them healthy and happy.
