How to Create the Perfect Sleeping Environment for Your Child

As many parents know, the power struggles you have to deal with at work can be nothing to the power struggles you experience each evening when you’re trying to get your child to go to sleep.

Even the most docile little ones can refuse to settle down, demanding endless stories, glasses of water, and trips to the bathroom.

If you’re frustrated with your child’s sleep habits, don’t give up hope. By adjusting their sleep environment, you can create the conditions needed for regular and peaceful slumber.

Establish a Sleep Routine

Overstimulated adults often have a hard time falling asleep, and kids are no different! That’s why a stress-reducing nighttime routine is a fabulous tool for establishing good sleep hygiene.

Here are a few steps to take:

Ban screens before bedtime – The blue light that emanates from laptops, tablets, and smartphones has been proven to interfere with the sleep hormone Melatonin. Safeguard your child’s natural circadian rhythms by putting screens away several hours before your child’s bedtime.
Wind down with gentle stretches – After your child puts on their pajamas, encourage them to release the day’s stresses with a few simple yoga poses. We emphasize “simple”—don’t start off with Warrior’s Pose!
Listen to relaxing media – Books on tape, meditation exercises for kids, and relaxation music are all great options for pacifying your child’s busy mind. Instead of demanding that your children fall asleep on cue, make a habit of lying down together for “quiet time.”

Ditch the Lights

Does your child beg you to leave the lights on? While this may provide them with some short-term relief, it’s actually interfering with their sleep quality.

Even a hallway light or side table lamp can be too bright for optimal sleep conditions.

Instead, utilize a nightlight that’s as dim as your child is comfortable with. If possible, it should emit an orange glow, so as to avoid the pitfalls of brighter light mentioned above.

Try a Weighted Blanket

Weighted blankets have a number of sleep-promoting effects. Some of the most impressive weighted blanket benefits include:

Parasympathetic nervous system stimulation
Increased production of “happy” chemicals like serotonin and dopamine
Relaxed muscles
Reduced stress

If you’d like to help your little one banish anxious nighttime thoughts, buy them a weighted blanket of their own.

While you’re at it, don’t overlook the benefits of weighted blankets for adults. Parents need high-quality rest, too!

Turn the Temperature Down

Scientists say that the optimal temperature for your home at night is 65 degrees. For some reason, humans seem to sleep better when our bodies feel nice and cool.

So, while it may be tempting to pile blankets on your child, resist the urge. Instead, set the thermostat in their room to low, and lay an extra blanket within reach, in case they need it later.

You might also look at the quality of the air in your child’s room. Is it too dry? Dry air can lead to a number of problems, including:

Coughing

Itching

Sore throat

Thirst

These symptoms can wake kids up in the middle of the night, which isn’t much fun for them—or for you.

Combat dry air by placing a humidifier in your child’s bedroom. Throughout the day, it will improve the breatheability of the air in the room, leading to better outcomes at night. Don’t forget to clean it frequently, as unmaintained humidifiers can be fruitful sites for bacteria.

Declutter

This step isn’t much fun, but it is essential. A messy room promotes stress in children, distracting them from sleep and causing them to worry about things left undone.

To combat this, declutter your child’s room and encourage them to pick up their toys and put them away every day. They may not like it at first, but they’ll come to enjoy the calmness created by a neat, clean room.

Your Child Can Learn How to Fall Asleep More Quickly

By optimizing your child’s sleeping environment, you can make nighttime power struggles a thing of the past.

Just like you, your child sleeps better in a room that’s cool, dark, and clean. They also benefit from sleep aids like a soothing bedtime routine, weighted blankets, and stress reduction practices.

Once your child is sleeping soundly, you’ll have more time in the evening for self-care activities like reading, watching adults-only media, and chatting with your partner—and getting the quality rest you need to be the best parent you can be.