Getting adequate sleep is essential to a person’s physical and mental well-being. As a parent, it is your responsibility to ensure your kids get the quality sleep they deserve. Typically, most kids automatically wake themselves up in the morning if they get sufficient sleep. Furthermore, kids usually fall asleep within 20 minutes after going to bed. However, a child’s duration to sleep depends on their bedtime and daytime routines and how sleepy they are.
The following are ways kids can improve their quality of sleep.
Read a Book Each Night Before Bed
Insomnia is a major health condition affecting many people, regardless of their age. This condition can lead to health complications since it affects how a person feels mentally and physically. So, how can your kids handle this condition? Experts suggest that reading a book before a person goes to bed can help manage this condition, as it helps in clearing the mind and getting the body ready for sleep.
Reading also makes kids more knowledgeable. For example, if your family is part of the 43% of non-practicing Christians as of 2020, you may be interested in having your child read a Bible story before bed each night. Although some people may view book reading as a distractor, reading a book helps a person enter a new consciousness state. Therefore, if you want your kids to get the best sleep, encourage them to read a book, irrespective of the type. This will help eliminate their tension as the words flow, helping their body as it paves the way for sleep.
Stay Off the Screens
Spending too much time on the screen can affect the mental and physical health of a child. This habit has been linked to reduced physical fitness, mental health issues, and limited social development. Kids who spend a lot of time on screens tend to have high obesity rates. Furthermore, using screens may influence how quickly your kid falls asleep and the duration of it. Using a screen for an hour prior to going to bed may stimulate your kids, while blue light from computer screens, televisions, tablets, and phones may overpower melatonin levels and cause sleepiness delays.
Ensure the Sheets Are Clean and Fresh Each Night
Sleeping on dirty sheets can significantly affect your child’s quality of sleep, especially if they have allergies or asthma. Notably, there are many Americans with allergic conditions. Whether your kids are part of this group or not, dirty sheets cause stuffy noses and sneezing. Notably, 15% of kids still wet their beds at age five. Cleaning your child’s bedding ensures no viruses or bacteria around their sleeping area, enabling them to have a peaceful sleep.
Help Your Child Clean Their Room Before Bed
If you want to improve your kids’ quality of sleeping, you should also help them clean their room before they go to sleep. Besides, there is a lot of waste that you should throw away. An average American throws away approximately 600 times the amount of their adult weight in garbage. Cleaning helps get rid of allergens and dust particles that may be present, hence creating a better breathing atmosphere. This leads to better sleep. Moreover, you can also enhance their sleep quality by opening the windows as cooler and clean air enhances sleep.
Additionally, having a clean room will eliminate distractions your child sees as they’re trying to fall asleep. Instead of seeing their toys, they’ll just see the floor!
Respect the Routine
Adhering to a specific bedtime schedule helps kids feel secure since it creates a sense of predictability. It is essential to develop a particular time for your kids to go to bed and wake up daily. It would help to discourage them from oversleeping during weekends and holidays, as this can affect their waking hours during school days. Younger kids should sleep for 10-12 hours per night, and if they rise early for their school or daycare, ensure they go to bed early enough.
Getting adequate and quality sleep enhances a child’s physical and mental health. As a parent, you should adopt the above tips to ensure your kids get the best sleep.
