Most toddlers between 1 and 2 years old require 10 to 13 hours of sleep a day, according to KidsHealth by Nemours. With such hours, daily naps and bedtimes, you might think toddlers would experience more quality of sleep and stay resting. However, your toddler experiences poor quality of sleep just as you do, falling prey to mid-night waking and worrisome thoughts. But just as you can remedy your common rest troubles, you help fix your toddler’s sleeping woes.
Night Terrors
Night terrors are common sleep problems that toddlers grow out of. Night terrors usually occur one to two hours after your toddler has fallen asleep and may involve sitting, standing or other manners of acting out the dream. He might also keep his eyes open as he sleeps. This is different from nightmares, where he will remain lying down and will usually wake up frightened. Your toddler also won’t remember the night terror, unlike nightmares where he can recall the details. Though you can’t entirely prevent a night terror, but you can try to lessen the chance of one by ensuring he is not overly stimulated throughout the day or waking him 30 minutes before the terror typically occurs.
Trouble Staying Asleep
Like an adult, your toddler has trouble falling asleep. In fact, we all have partial awakenings at night. But whereas adults don’t remember waking up and falling back asleep, your toddler hasn’t developed that skill. If she falls asleep in a certain place, she will wake up expecting to be in that spot. If she falls asleep by you, she will expect to see you upon wakening. To help her, try a transition object, such as a blanket or stuffed animal, that she can fall asleep next to. She can then grab the object if she wakes. If she’s older than 2, try having an older sibling in the room that can make her feel comforted and safe.
Nighttime Fears
Toddlers are often afraid that monsters or ghosts lurk in the bedroom. To help your child ease his fear, perform a thorough search of his room before you leave, searching closets, underneath the bed and in any area that creates concern for him. To provide extra comfort, give your child monster repellent, a spray bottle full of water and let him sleep with it. If he is afraid of the dark, humor him and install a night-light.
Too Much Noise
Too much noise may be causing your toddler’s sleep problems. She could be losing quality of sleep during a nap, having trouble falling asleep or waking during the night. You can mask the loud noises by tuning a radio to a classical or talk-show station, or by investing in a white noise machine. Make sure to minimize volume on phone ringers and televisions for added silence. If necessary, try moving your child to a quieter room in the house.
