Ensure a successful bedtime routine, and it’s Spring, although it does not feel like it does it.
The clocks will be going forward on Sunday. Don’t forget to use my top tips on my blog before. Many of my clients struggle to establish a successful bedtime routine to help them with daylight saving and going towards summer.
Click on my audio to find my top tips, and contact me for a sleep consultation if you are struggling.
Do:
- Spend some time unwinding with a quiet activity 30 minutes before starting the bedtime routine.
- Be consistent. The routine should be the same night tonight, so your child learns to anticipate sleep as part of the routine.
- Include bath time in your routine, as the soothing warmth will help prepare your child’s body for rest. Include a massage, as this can invoke Oxytocin, the cuddle, love chemical; this helps your child calm down and make everyone feel good.
Make reading together as part of the bedtime routine.
Move your child’s bedtime up (to an earlier time) if they frequently wake during the night.
Don’t:
- Ignore their anxiety, and help them with their fears.
- Make TV, screens, I pad or phones part of the bedtime routine. The blue light interferes with melatonin, which regulates the circadian rhythm ( 24-hour cycle)
- Make their bedtime more than 45 mins max (30 is what you are looking for)
- Offer caffeinated fizzy drinks with dinner or lots of sugar.
- Allow frequent interruptions to the bedtime routine, such as ensuring they have brushed their teeth and don’t need to move from the bathroom to the bedroom. They stall, don’t they?
- Use thick blankets, quilts, stuffed animals, or pillows in your infant’s crib/cot.
- Pick your child up. If they continue to call for you, reassure them that you’re nearby.
- Are you so exhausted you think it won’t work? Everyone deserves a good night’s sleep. Contact me for a sleep consultation.
With Love Catherine
