Source: HealthLinkBC
Sleep is one of the most important aspects of overall health and well-being. For young children and toddlers, getting good sleep is essential for their daily functioning, learning, and playing.
In today’s blog, we are sharing a few simple tips of things you can do to improve your toddler’s sleep. Whether they are having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep through the night, these tips can help enhance their sleepy time and ensure they are getting the rest they need at night.
How can you improve your toddler’s sleep?
- Create a bedtime routine that helps your child settle down for sleep.
Your child’s bedtime routine can be unique to you, but to give them the best chance at a good night’s sleep, consider how to best curate their nighttime activities. To get them ready for bed, you may, for example, read together or listen to gentle music for 15 to 30 minutes before saying goodnight and turning off the lights. For the best results, try to do your bedtime routine in the same order every night, so your child becomes familiar with the routine and knows what to expect.
- Aim to have your child go to bed and wake up at consistent times.
When you put your child to sleep at the same time every night and wake them up at the same time every morning, their mind and body become more accustomed to these regular hours. This consistency makes it easier for them to go to bed and stay asleep until their regular wakeup time, while keeping things simple for you both. If your child is still napping during the day, try to push their nap time gradually to early afternoon, increasing the odds of their readiness to sleep at night.
- Arrange your child’s bedroom in a way that is conducive to sleep.
One easy tip to improve your child’s sleep is to create a bedroom for them that is ideal for a strong sleep schedule. This means keeping the room dark or dimly lit, quiet, and cool. Try to keep TVs, computers, tablets and other screens out of your child’s room for minimal blue light exposure, which can also impact quality of sleep.
- Limit highly stimulating activities in the hours leading up to your child’s bedtime.
Activities such as playing and watching TV before bed are not ideal for a good night’s sleep. Try to limit these kinds of stimulating activities in the hours leading up to bedtime, making it easier for your child to fall and stay asleep at night.
- If your child struggles consistently with falling or staying asleep, talk to your pediatrician.
Although most sleep troubles are not a health concern, they can occur as a result of health problems such as asthma, ADHD, autism and sleep apnea. If your child is often having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, you should consider talking to your child’s doctor about how their sleep can be improved.
For young children and toddlers, ensuring they get a good night’s sleep is critical for daily functioning and learning. To help your child grow into the amazing person they are meant to be, help them put their best foot forward with a consistent, healthy sleep schedule.
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Rainforest Learning Centre Vancouver child care centres are located in North Vancouver, Langley and Coquitlam and serve the surrounding areas of Upper Lonsdale, Central Lonsdale, Metro Vancouver, Burnaby, North Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey and White Rock. We offer group daycare, all-day preschool for ages 2 1/2 to 5, infant and toddler care for ages 1 to 3, half-day preschool for ages 3 to 5, and before- and after-school care for ages 5 to 12. Learn more here.