When your children don’t sleep well, this could rob both of you of a good parent-child bond. They either keep you up all night or will be cranky the next morning. Additionally, lack of adequate sleep could have a serious impact on your health. It is, therefore, important for every parent to master the art of putting their kids to sleep. While some children are easy sleepers, some don’t go down without a fight. Here are some hacks you can use to help your child go to sleep easier.
1. Bananas
Your child might be having trouble sleeping because their muscles are a bit tense. Bananas contain potassium and magnesium which are natural muscle relaxers. They also help produce melatonin which is a hormone that helps us sleep. You can give them a banana or fix a healthy and delicious banana smoothie for them whenever they can’t seem to catch some shut-eye.
2. Routine
It’s good to establish a routine with your children during the development stage. The sooner they get into the rhythm of things, the better for you as a parent. Create sleeping times and stick with them. Additionally, you can create a bedtime routine that will help put them to sleep faster. For instance, you can have a 30-minute play time to tire them out enough.
3. Screen Time
Ensure that your children get at least two hours away from the screen before going to bed. Once they are done with the homework, indulge them in more activities that won’t tempt them to sit and binge-watch a show on TV or their computers. You could talk to them about school or just cuddle with them without the TV on. Additionally, keep their phones away during this time.
4. Decorate Their Room
Children also experience FOMO when they go to bed thus, they fight you when it comes to bedtime. Try and make their room feel less lonely and boring by transforming it into their little party room. Fill their bed with stuffed toys and decorate their room with fun art that might help them sleep better. This will put them at ease and fall asleep.
5. Heavy Blankets
Apart from providing a conducive environment to induce sleep, heavy blankets apply enough pressure for the body to produce endorphins. Your body then relaxes and you’re able to get some sleep. Besides, heavy blankets feel like a warm hug which puts you at ease. This technique works well for children with autism and sensory processing disorders.
6. Bed Sharing
This isn’t encouraged since it could be disruptive in the long run. However, you could consider sleeping in their room to help them adjust well. You should also have an exit plan once they get used to sleeping. Ensure that you establish independence even if you decide to sleep with them. For instance, you can put your child in a trundle bed or make a bunk bed where you can both sleep in separate beds but still maintain closeness.
Experiencing sleep loss? Check out Can’t Sleep? How To Avoid OrBeat Insomnia
