Sleep is vital for children’s health and well-being. Sleep can boost their immune system,

enhance their memory, help maintain a healthy weight, and keeps them sharp and alert the

whole day. Children spend most of their energies playing, doing school work, and other

extracurricular activities. With children are active, their body needs to rest. Getting enough

sleep will help their body to repair and rejuvenate for another busy day. No matter how tired

the children are though, it will be challenging to put them to sleep at the right time. Here are

some tips you can use to help them get enough sleep.

Less sugar. Notice that children get too active when they eat chocolates or any sweets?

Children’s bodies are capable of burning sugar into energy so the lesser sugar intake they have,

the more likely that they will feel tired by the end of the day.

Limit Daytime Naps. The daytime nap should be limited to 20 – 30 minutes depending on the

children’s age. Toddlers may nap for 30 minutes while Pre-schoolers may do it for 20 minutes.

Napping can help improve their mood but too much nap can make them restless by bedtime 

Keep A Sleep-Time Pattern. We often hear the phrase, “past your bedtime”. Children must

have a sleeping time pattern. You must help them stick to their sleeping time. By doing so, their

bodies will get accustomed to sleeping at that given time. It is like, training their bodies to feel

sleepy when it is already their bedtime.

Keep A Bedtime Routine. This could be you reading them a book or you singing to them, a

warm shower before they go to bed, or putting on their favorite sleeping attire. Every time you

do the bedtime routine, it will send a signal to their mind that it is time to sleep. Doing the

routine will also make them feel relaxed and will help them sleep well. 

Exercise Their Way To Sleep. There will be times that children will not be active. It could be the

wintertime when they cannot play outside. In this case, let them do a basic exercise routine to

promote good quality sleep.

Have A Cozy Sleeping Environment. Beds are made for sleeping but it will be a huge help if the

entire room is inviting sleep. Let them use their favorite pillows, put on mellow music, dim the

light or turn it off it that is what they prefer, and make sure all gadgets are turned off to avoid

sleep distraction. There are many ways to make the room relaxing, find the way that best suits

them.

Remember that kids will always be kids so they will find a way to avoid bedtime sometimes.

They could ask you to read more stories, another cup of milk, or even play with them. It is fine

to give in to their whims but as much as possible try to stick with the routine. If you have done everything and your child is still persistently having trouble sleeping, do not hesitate to consult with their pediatricians.