Children are too young to fully appreciate sleep like adults do. There's too much to see and do, and it's not surprising that sleep doesn't fall into the category of children's favorite things to do. If your child isn't sleeping when he should be, it can affect his attitude and behavior the next day, making it difficult to pay attention in school and even function normally. There are several things you can do if your child needs a little help getting to sleep at night.
Step 1
Avoid activities that may increase your child's adrenaline and get her too wound up within an hour of going to bed. If your child is too hyper when she goes to bed, it can make it difficult for her to go to sleep quickly.
Step 2
Give your child a small snack before going to bed. Cheese, milk and turkey all contain tryptophan, a substance that can help facilitate sleep. A glass of warm milk or a couple of small pieces of cheese can help your child fall asleep and not wake up due to late night hunger.
Step 3
Establish a set bedtime so that your child can adjust to becoming tired at a certain time, making it easier to fall asleep when the time comes. It can be helpful, especially for younger children, to start cleaning up toys that your child plays with throughout the day as bedtime draws near, and instead have him play with a transitional toy. This toy should be one that he sleeps with, so he can get use to the idea of bedtime coming before it happens.
Step 4
Avoid sugary snacks and beverages in the evenings, and cut out caffeine in the second half of the day if your child is normally allowed to have it. Sugar and caffeine can make sleep difficult for adults, but particularly so for children.
Step 5
Keep a routine that helps your child transition to the bedtime mentality. A warm bath or a bedtime story can be something that your child comes to expect and associate with sleep.
Tips and Warnings
- If sleep is something not easily achieved for your child and nothing seems to help, talk to a pediatrician to help rule out any possible underlying medical factors that could be the cause.
