Don’t throw away your limp pillow, you can bring it back to life with a simple 90p hack
IF YOU’RE tired of your toddler not wanting to go to bed, read on.
A child health expert has revealed five steps you should take to calm your child so he or she can sleep well.
Dr. Kaylene henderson spoke with Nine Honey about what to do when your toddler just won’t sleep at night.
Every child is different and needs different amounts of sleep depending on their age. With these simple tips, you can make parents’ evenings a lot easier.
Just like adults, children need enough time to unwind before going to bed.
For example, make sure they have enough time to relax after a busy day.
The expert advises giving toddlers one to two hours to go to bed.
And it’s just as important that parents take time to relax and be more present so that toddlers feel calmer.
Dr. Henderson explains: “After all, our children are barometers of the tensions in the family.
“If we want our children to calm down, we have to make an effort to shut ourselves off — from our phones, our work emails, and the many other distractions that compete for our attention.”
We’ve all heard that we should turn off our screens before going to sleep because blue light stops our brains from producing melatonin, our body’s sleep hormone.
Therefore, the expert advises turning off the device 60 to 90 minutes before bedtime so that children can sleep well.
According to the expert, music and meditation can also help your child fall asleep.
She adds that slow music, with a rhythm of about 60 beats per minute, can improve breathing, heart rate and brain waves and relax muscles.
“There are also beautiful guided meditations that are specifically designed to help young children fall asleep at night.
“Headspace for Kids has a special section on sleep, tailored to three age groups: five and under, six to eight, and nine to 12. You can try it for free,” she adds.
Finally, Dr. Henderson recommends maintaining a consistent routine each night to help your toddler fall asleep easily.
When children know what to expect each evening, they can relax more easily and, of course, fall asleep more easily.
One of the best ways to do this is to tell a bedtime story.
She adds: “Remember, the goal is to get our little ones used to sleep, so bedtime stories are the perfect tool, in the perfect place, to do that.”
