Sleep is proven to have a significant impact on mental, emotional and physical well-being, therefore getting a good night’s rest is incredibly important. Having an established bedtime routine is key to help ensure your kids are getting the right amount of sleep they need so they can be refreshed and ready to take on the day’s tasks.

Keep Regular Sleep & Wake Times

Setting regular sleep times and wake times are important to keeping a bedtime routine successful, especially in younger children. Being consistent is key, so be sure to keep times within 1-2 hours of each other each day, doing so will help your kids’ body clock develop a regular pattern.

You may have certain activities you want to accomplish before set sleep times – be sure that this routine is consistent as well. An example of a daily routine could be dinner, bath, story time, and then bed. You can tell that children are getting enough sleep when they fall asleep within 15 to 30 minutes of going to bed, wake up easily in the morning, and don’t nod off during the day.

You be find yourself asking “How do I know they are getting enough sleep?” Proof that the routine you set is working and that your kids are getting enough sleep is if they fall asleep within 15-30 minutes of going to bed at night, wake easily in the mornings and don’t nod off during the daytime.

Wind Down Before Bed

A great way to prep kids for sleep is to have some type of activity that winds them down and helps relax them, which can help them get better sleep. Start a wind down activity or process an hour before the scheduled bedtime to maximize the chances of them falling asleep quickly. Avoid stimulating activities or distractions like TV, tablets/phones, and video games an hour before their schedule sleep time as well. Your kids might enjoy winding down before bed with a bath, story time / reading, or listening to calming music.

Create A Calming Environment

The environment your kids sleep in is important to ensure they can fall asleep easily and sleep soundly throughout the night. Ensure their bedroom is an inviting and cozy space for them – avoid lettiing them have bright lights on or loud toys in the bedroom close to bedtime. If their room feels a little warm, make the area cooler – cooler temperatures have been proven to increase sleep quality.

Having a good quality mattress for your kids is also super important to creating a great sleeping environment. If you think it’s time to get a new mattress for them – Factory Mattress has a wide range of top-quality options to give your kids better sleep!

Avoid Late Naps in the Day

Naps are a great ways for kids to have some rest and act as a reboot during the day, but having naps later in the afternoon or early evening can interfere with their ability to go to sleep. For younger kids that still need daily naps, make sure they take them in the late morning or early afternoon. If they must nap later in the day, be sure they only last 20 minutes, as longer and later naps can  make it harder for them to fall asleep.

Avoid Sugar & Caffeine

Lastly, be sure to avoid any foods or drinks that have caffeine or are full of sugar such as candy, juice, soda and ice cream. If your kids eat these relatively close to their bedtime, they will have trouble falling asleep, and may even be more wired that before during the day. After all, getting them to bed on time results in YOU getting the sleep you need too.

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