Here are some important tips to help your child sleep.
1. Use white noise.
White noise can be helpful to drown out distracting noises such as the ringing of a telephone or barking of a dog. You can purchase a white noise machine, or simply turn on a ceiling fan or air purifier. White noise, when used consistently, will become a cue for sleep.
2 Make sure it’s dark enough.
If there is too much light in your child’s room, it will be difficult for your child to wind down . Our biological clock (also known as circadian rhythm) is set so that light equals awake time and dark equals sleep time. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being dark, your child’s room should be around an 8 or a 9. To achieve this, consider purchasing black out shades. You can also temporarily tack up a heavy blanket or poster board to keep light out. If your child expresses fear of the dark, a small nightlight can be used to help alleviate this fear.
3. Make sure the temperature is comfortable.
Just as with adults, if the room is too hot or too cold, a child will have a difficult time falling asleep. While everyone has their own preference for the right temperature, sleep research has shown that cooler temperatures are more conducive to sleep. Temperatures between 60-70 degrees tend to be the most comfortable. This may seem counter-intuitive, but it actually makes very good sense. Our circadian rhythm is regulated not just by light, but also by temperature. Our body temperature drops when we are sleeping. Therefore, cooler temperatures mimic our bodies natural temperature drop and helps us to achieve optimal sleep.
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