5 Things You Need to Know About Childhood Sleeping Patterns

1. Learning Your Child's Natural Sleeping Patterns

Your child will have natural sleep cycles which will be generally consistent from day to day. She will become tired around the same time in the evening and wake around the same time in the morning. Try to help her to stick to her natural sleep cycles by creating a calm environment around bedtime. See if you can recognize when your child starts getting drowsy and put her to bed. Work on keeping to the same bed time every night. Just remember that your child's natural sleep cycles may change as she grows. Your child will need more or less sleep, depending on how she is growing and how much activity she is getting. Be a little flexible about your child's sleep schedule while still maintaining the consistency she needs to wind down at night.

2. Know How Much Sleep Your Child Needs

Due to differences in growth and development, children need different amounts of sleep at each age. Newborns need around 18 to 20 hours a day of sleep. The amount of sleep they need gradually decreases as they get older. Some studies say that older children sleep best if they fall asleep later and wake up later in the morning, but still get the same number of hours of sleep. Talk to your pediatrician at check ups for any sleep recommendations and to get a sense of how many hours you child needs. Getting enough sleep is vital for your child growing properly and staying healthy.

3. Establish a Calm Bedtime Routine

Just like adults, children need to unwind after a busy day of play, school and activities. Create a calming bedtime routine for you child. Try starting with a warm bath. Then change your child into a comfortable pair of pajamas. After your child is ready for bed, read a book together while your child lies in bed or relaxes in your lap. Use a calming voice to read and talk with your child so that he can fall asleep with ease. Most importantly, keep to a consistent routine so your child knows what to expect every evening and can eventually learn how to calm himself for sleep. Teaching good sleep habits early can help your child throughout his lifetime.

4. Recognize the Signs

Long before children fall asleep, they showing signs of getting tired. Often, the more tired a child gets, the harder it is for him to fall asleep. You can help your child get to sleep without a fuss by recognizing the signs that he is drowsy. Early signs of drowsiness are heavy eyes, circles under the eyes, rubbing eyes and pulling ears. Your child may also become irritable or quiet as he gets even more tired. Try starting your child's bedtime routine when you see those early signs of drowsiness.

5. Keep the TV Oto haveut of Sleeping Rooms

Studies show that children with TVs in their bedrooms have a harder time falling asleep than kids without TVs in their bedrooms. Even though children are not doing much while watching TV, television programs are stimulating to their minds. At sleep times, you want their bedrooms to have as few stimulating things as possible. Create a calm sleeping environment by keeping the TV in the family room.