It can be difficult for a parent when a child has difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep through the night. While most adults have experienced the odd period of insomnia when worried about something or when there is another problem, for children it can be hard to figure out why sleepless times occur. Children also, of course, can’t really get up and do something else when they can’t sleep, so lying in bed restless can be a big frustration for them, and this tends to exacerbate the issue. In most cases childhood insomnia is just a passing thing that will go away after a few days, but if your child often has problems sleeping, their room could be to blame. Here are some ways to make sure your child has an environment that is conducive to healthy sleep:
Lighting
Some children are scared of the dark and prefer to sleep with some form of lighting on, however light makes it harder for people to sleep. We are programmed biologically to sleep when it is dark and stay awake when there is light, so even though a child may feel safer when they can see, bright light will inevitably stop them from sleeping well. If your child doesn’t like the dark, invest in a dim night light that will give them the light they need to be able to see their way around in the night, but which won’t blast their eyes with the kind of lighting they might use during the day for reading or playing. Try and wean them off of using night time lighting altogether as they get older, because sleeping in darkness is generally better.
Distractions
Make sure your child’s bedroom has plenty of storage so their toys, games, books and other things that might distract them can be stowed away when it is time to sleep. Clutter can stop even an adult from sleeping, so aside from any toys they like to sleep with for comfort like a favorite stuffed animal, it is better if they can’t see all of the things they might rather be playing with than sleeping when it is time for bed! If they have a TV or computer, make sure this is turned off completely at night too so there isn’t that glow tempting them to wake up and use it!
Comfort
Make sure your child’s bed is comfortable and suitable for their needs. If they are getting a little tall for their child’s bed, then it is best to buy them a new bed from a kids furniture store – there are all kinds of options including bunk beds and beds with storage underneath them, so not only can you solve the problem of a growing child’s feet hanging off the end of their bed, but you can also get a new storage solution for their toys and other stuff! Make their bed as comfy as possible with good sheets that feel cool and nice next to their skin, and keep the temperature in their bedroom at a comfortable level – it can be hard to sleep in a room that is too warm so don’t over heat their rooms in winter, instead give them warm bedding and warm pajamas which will keep them snug but give them more control over their own temperature as they try to sleep.
[box_light]Today’s feature writer, James Myron, is a part of the sales team at Bunk House Kids which sells kids bunk beds in Toronto. He is a hard worker and he enjoys painting in his spare time. Visit thebunkhousekids.com/ to know more about his team.[/box_light]
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- The Different Bed Options for Your Children’s Room (roomtogrow.co.uk)
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