A good night’s sleep impacts everything: feelings, stress levels, how you feel physically, performance at school, sports and other after-school activities and more. Here’s how to make sure your child is getting enough z’s.
- Develop a regular sleep schedule. Your child should go to bed and wake up at about the same time each day.
- Maintain a consistent bedtime routine.
- Set up a soothing sleep environment. Make sure your child’s bedroom is comfortable, dark, cool, and quiet. A nightlight is fine; a television is not.
- Set limits, such as what time lights must be turned off and how many bedtime stories you will read.
- Turn off televisions, computers, and radios.
- Avoid caffeine.
- Contact your child’s doctor. Speak to your child’s physician if your child has difficulties falling asleep or staying asleep, snores, experiences unusual awakenings, or has sleep problems that are causing disruption during the day.
- Use your bed only for sleep. Make sure your child is not watching television, playing on a device or doing their homework in bed. This helps the brain learn that bed is a place for sleep.
