Sleep Hygiene Guide for Children

How can I get my child to rest well? If your child has difficulty sleeping, you can implement the sleep hygiene guide for children.

Did you know that insomnia produces detrimental effects if it is not treated in time? It is important that children have good sleeping habits. The dream is a need of the organism that allows to restore the fundamental physical and psychological functions . Following the guide of hygiene of sleep for children you can get your child to have a good night’s sleep that reverberates in good health.

Sleep hygiene guide for children: 5 guidelines

To promote a renewing dream in your child it is convenient that you follow this series of tips:

Fulfill a series of routines related to going to sleep

It is essential to create in the child the habit of sleeping every day at the same time . To do this you should establish routine activities  such as taking a bath, dinner at least two hours before going to bed, establish a prudential and fixed time to watch television or read a story.

The quality of sleep depends largely on an established routine and the time when they wake up in the morning. You must allow the child to sleep as long as he needs.

The place where the child sleeps

The room of your son or daughter must be conditioned for sleep. This supposes that it has an  adequate temperature ,  that is cozy, comfortable and that it has good light for the day but that it remains dark at night. If the child feels fear you can leave a light on very dim, not directly on his face.

Your child should relate their room to sleeping at night. Another detail to keep is that you always sleep in the same bed and comfortable pajamas.

Avoid distractions and excessive noise

Video games, television or music devices should not be accessible to the child at the time of going to bed . This is a temptation to play and get distracted from the dream. In addition, it is very important to control the noise in the room so that your sleep is not interrupted and it is difficult for you to reconcile it again.

Have autonomy at bedtime

Although the child needs to be close to his parents to feel safe, he must be taught to sleep alone in his room . The suggestion is to accompany him on some occasions while he is asleep. However, it should not be the rule and on other nights allow him to stay alone to fall asleep.

Limit physical activities at night

Another fundamental aspect that is found in the guide of hygiene of the dream for children is that the small one does not realize physical activity just before sleeping . At least two hours before going to bed.

It is also essential to give dinner two hours before sleep  and should not eat foods with high sugar content. In addition, it is convenient to eliminate the hydrates at night so that the digestion is not very heavy. Avoid taking stimulant drinks such as tea, caffeine  or chocolate. Provide a good diet rich in fruits and vegetables. All this guarantees that the child gets enough sleep and has a good night’s sleep.

Harmful effects for children with difficulty sleeping

When children sleep little at night the consequences become evident in their bodies. Mood changes, reluctance to do physical activity and decreased attention and concentration capacity . They are also more likely to suffer emotional problems due to mismatch.

Causes of insomnia in children

In most cases the mental disorders are accompanied by a deterioration in the quality and quantity of sleep, in addition to  some diseases such as enuresis ,  which consists of uncontrolled bladder sphincter. Other factors are environmental conditions, lightness and darkness, medications and allergies.

Although it is not easy to establish a routine for the child, you must persist and count on the contribution of the whole family.