Allen Career Institute
Like the different activities, you do to keep your body healthy & fit, following a good sleep habit is also of prime importance.
Good sleep habits not just hold importance for adults but kids too. Developing good sleep habits right from early childhood will ensure that your child follows it all through adulthood.
You must understand that sleep functions as a restorative process that allows the body to stay physically, emotionally and metabolically fit. Sleep has a great impact on attention and behavior.
In kids, poor sleep habits can lead to shorter attention span, lethargy, irritability, depressed mood, and forgetfulness. If not managed at an early stage, the condition can only aggravate and disturb body functions.
To instill healthy sleep habits in your child, you must follow certain methods. Here check out a few ways you can use:
1. Follow a Sleep Routine
To instill any habit, having a properly planned routine is very important. You should come up with a routine that can help your child get adequate sleep every day. Also, the sleeping pattern differs in kids. So a routine that works for one child may not work for the other. You will have to identify your child’s sleeping patterns and plan a routine accordingly. Fix a time for bed and make sure the entire family sticks to the routine. Whatever time you plan, all the household activities should be finished by then so that you can put your child to sleep.
2. Practice Consistency
Once you have formed the routine, the next vital thing to do is sticking to that routine. A little flexibility is okay but don’t keep on compromising with the sleep routine to make room for things like late-night outings or movies. Practicing consistency will help your child embrace the routine that would stick for a lifetime.
3. Maintain Good Sleep Environment
The bedrooms also play a crucial role in encouraging good sleep habits. Follow proper bedroom hygiene. The light must not be too bright or too dim; it should always have a soothing effect. The bed must be comfortable enough for a good night’s sleep. There shouldn’t be unwanted distractions in the room like too many toys or gadgets.
4. Plan Effective Before Sleep Activities
You should engage your child in some good activities prior to sleep. You can choose activities like reading books, storytelling, knowledgeable quiz games or any activity where your child can learn something good. Brushing teeth before bed must be a daily thing to practice.
5. Monitor Screen Time
Not just the kids, watching TV or spending time on the mobile phone before sleep is equally bad for adults too. You should see that your child doesn’t spend a lot of time in front of the TV or playing games on the mobile before sleeping. Too much screen time can meddle with sleep patterns thus disturbing the entire routine.
6. Encourage Physical Activity During Day Time
Make it a habit to keep your child more active during the day time as it will help improve sleep quality at night. If your child goes to school, resting for a little while after coming from school is okay. But don’t entertain lazy habits like watching cartoons or playing video games. Encourage physical activities; encourage your kid to play sports like badminton, football, cricket or anything that requires physical strength. While sending kids out to play, do look out for safety too. If possible you can accompany or allocate a space where you know safety will not be an issue.
7. Look Out For Sleep Problems
Some children encounter sleep problems like snoring, nighttime awakenings, trouble falling asleep, loud or heavy breathing during sleep and sleep apnea. If you feel your child is not able to form a sleep routine, look out for these problems. Don’t force your child to sleep using anger as a means if you notice any sign of sleep problem. The best way would be to speak to the pediatrician. Most sleeping problems are easy to treat when reported timely.
Improve your child’s sleep pattern and develop healthy sleep habits with these simple yet effective tips and contribute to the overall wellbeing of the kid.
