We all know how important getting a good night’s sleep is for attention, attitude and school performance. Often, though, getting a good night’s sleep can be a challenge for kids. Here are some useful suggestions for helping your child get the hours of good sleep they need.
- Sticking to a schedule is one of the most important things. Try to stick to it over the weekend so that you don’t have to re-establish the schedule every Monday.
- A winding-down ritual before bed can be very helpful, especially for younger children. A warm bath, snuggling up and reading bedtime stories, etc. are very effective.
- Limit television or electronic devices right before bed. While reading tends to have a relaxing effect, electronics do the opposite for most people. Try to keep your teen from sleeping with his or her cell phone.
- Don’t let your child nap after school. Getting sleep late in the afternoon can make falling asleep at bedtime much more difficult.
- If your child tends to worry about things while falling asleep, help them make a list at bedtime of all their concerns for the next day. Getting them written down can help kids set them aside for the night. This works for adults, too!
- Don’t eat dinner too late. A heavy meal right before bed can disrupt sleep.
- Limit caffeinated drinks. Also, limiting water after dinner reduces trips to the bathroom during the night.
Below are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended hours of sleep. Are you and your child getting enough sleep?
- Newborns: 16-18 hours a day
- Preschool-aged children: 11-12 hours a day
- School-aged children: At least 10 hours a day
- Teens: 9-10 hours a day
- Adults (including the elderly): 7-8 hours a day
* Sourced from www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.htm
