Sleep Hygiene for Little Ones

Sleep is essential to a child’s development. But for the 15 to 25% of kids and teens who struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep, getting adequate rest can feel daunting. Helpless parents may begin to dread bedtime, unsure how to help their little one nod off and sleep soundly. Fortunately, specific behavioral changes and adjustments to the sleep environment will help most children with insomnia. We’ve compiled the top sleep hygiene tips that are proven to help kids sleep. The recommendations outlined here are best suited for toddlers through early adolescence.

Sleep hygiene — a collection of habits and behaviors that promote good sleep — is vital for children. Many sleep struggles are caused or made worse by poor sleep hygiene. When practicing sleep hygiene, remember that consistency is key. Sleep strategies take time and repetition to be effective.

1. Create a routine. Humans are creatures of habit. A consistent bedtime routine lets your child’s body and mind know that it’s time to settle down and prepare for sleep. The actual routine can be specific to your child, but it should last around 20 minutes and consist of three to four quiet, soothing activities such as putting on PJs, brushing teeth, a warm bath, and reading. Bedtime routines provide children with a sense of familiarity and comfort, which acts in direct opposition to the uncertainty of insomnia.

2. Set a bedtime. A sleep schedule works with your child’s natural biological clock to promote dozing off with regularity. Bedtimes are most useful when they’re consistent, so try to keep the same bedtime on weekends as on school nights. Altering bedtimes during the weekend will make it more difficult for kids to maintain their normal weekday schedules.

3. Implement a screen curfew. The ubiquity of screens makes this rule hard to implement, but it’s well worth it. Mobile devices, TVs, and tablets emit a type of blue light that suppresses melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. Children may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of light from screens. Screen time also stimulates the brain, making it harder to wind down for sleep. Electronic devices should be kept out of the bedroom and ideally not used within one hour of bedtime.

4. Avoid scary or violent content. Feeling scared or worried is a common reason kids can’t sleep. So it’s no wonder that scary or violent movies, TV, video games, and even books in the evening are linked to sleep disturbances in children. If your kiddo likes the gory or spooky stuff, save it for the daytime.

5. Get exercise. Physical activity is proven to help people of all ages fall asleep faster and stay asleep. Most children need at least one hour of exercise per day. Just make sure to avoid vigorous activity within two hours of bedtime; otherwise, your child may feel wound-up and find it harder to fall asleep.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services