By Did you know that toddlers need about 11-14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period? It’s kind of a blessing, isn’t it? Because moms and dads themselves, need a little extra time to unwind and get quality sleep.
But if your little one is experiencing sleep troubles, there are a couple of common contributing factors. According to National Sleep Foundation: resisting going to bed, nighttime awakenings, and nightmares are the likely culprit. So here are a couple tips to make bedtime less of a battle!
Tip #1 Schedule & Routine
Much like our own body’s need for schedule and routine to signal our readiness for sleep, it’s incredibly important for toddlers. One of the best ways to avoid sleep issues is by sticking to a predictable routine, and a consistent bedtime. The earlier the better as the growth hormone is produced only in the fourth stage of sleep. Sleeping earlier gives them more time in the fourth stage of sleep to produce this hormone, which can seriously affect their growth.
Tip #2 Bedroom Environment
The less changes in their bedroom, the less likely they’ll be distracted and can focus on sleep. Try to maintain their bedroom environment, and keep it the same every night. Keep the room at a cool and comfortable temperature, and minimize any possible distractions.
Tip #3 Setting Limits
On top of having a consistent schedule and a consistent bedroom environment, having a cool-down from stimulants such as TV, iPads, and other e-screens is an important part of quieting the busy mind. For both adults and children alike, cutting off exposure to blue light as well as reducing distractions can help to ease the mind into better sleep.
Hope these tips help! And if you haven’t done so already, sign up and join us on the next post for more tips like these.
