Getting a Goodnight’s Rest: Creating Calm Before Bedtime

Winding kids down after a full day of school is, well, challenging to say the least. Whether you have little ones or high schoolers, setting the tone in your home will help everyone settle down and snuggle up.

Sleep Hygiene addresses the healthy habits in your day-to-day life that help support good sleep quality. For adults and children alike, this includes things like:

• Consistent bedtime and wake up time
• Exercising
• Eating well-balanced meals
• Establishing a nighttime routine

For children, some factors need to be highlighted more than others. For example, playtime. Play is a very important part of a developing child’s life and can help them get to sleep at night. Playing games, both physical ones and mental ones can help tire your child’s body and mind out during the day. More play during the day means your child will likely be more ready for sleep when bedtime comes. 

Here are some physical and mental activities you can do with your kids to help get them ready for bedtime:

• Tag
• Hide-and-seek
• Organized sports
• Board Games
• Puzzles
• Matching Games

It is important to remember that balance and timing are important factors, too. Play during the day can help your child find restfulness at night, but high-energy playtime too close to bedtime can wind kids up instead of helping them calm down. To help transition from play to calm, it may help to use a guided meditation or kid’s yoga video so their bodies can gradually relax. 

Technology can also be a hindrance to good sleep hygiene if it isn’t used carefully. Using a tablet or phone to play a guided meditation or yoga video can be helpful, but too much screen time before bed can have negative effects on sleep. Screens emit “blue” light, which signals to the brain that it’s time to be awake and alert. “Blue” light before bed can over-stimulate your child’s brain (and yours, too!) and make it more difficult for them to get to bed. It may be useful to set a timer on your phone or talk to your child about a “hard stop” of screen time about 2 hours before bedtime. This will help everyone feel relaxed and ready for sleep.

Good sleep hygiene includes an established bedtime routine, which can include calming activities and practical ones. Giving your child a list of tasks to complete can help engage them and build confidence in their independent skills. Brushing teeth, changing into pajamas, and picking a bedtime story or read-aloud can be great ways to help your child build independence and positive sleep hygiene. Having activities specific to bedtime, like taking a warm bath or reading some stories, can also help let your little one’s brain know it is time to calm down.

Sleep is important for everyone. Engaging in practices that support positive sleep hygiene can ensure that you and your child are consistently getting enough sleep to take on the next day!

For more information on common parenting topics, visit forwardleadingfamilies.org or www.path2growthcounseling.com to get in touch with a qualified professional for parenting support.