What if you could help your child get a great night of sleep each and every night?

Every parent hates to see their child tossing and turning at night. But it's tough to know what you can do to help your child sleep better.

That's why we put together this quick guide. By using these tips, you can give your child the "sweet dreams" they deserve!

1. Strict Schedule

Some tips look easy on paper but are actually pretty hard to pull off. For example, one of the best things you can do to help your child sleep better is to create a strict schedule and stick to it.

Children love to fight against their bedtime. But the truth is that when a child goes to sleep at the same time every night and wakes up at the same time every morning, this routine eventually helps them sleep better.

What about the weekends? Ideally, your child should not stay up more than an hour past their normal bedtime. Otherwise, the disruption to their routine can affect the quality of their sleep.

2. Screen Curfew

Staring at TVs and mobile devices can negatively impact your child's sleep. That is because these devices all emit a kind of blue light that suppresses melatonin, a chemical needed for a good night's sleep.

The simplest way to prevent this is to make sure children have a "screen curfew" of one hour before their bedtime. This helps ensure they have enough melatonin to sleep through the night. You can also buy your child special glasses that block the blue light when they are looking at screens earlier in the night.

3. More Time Together

Believe it or not, some children (especially younger ones) have trouble sleeping because they want to get more time with their parents. And this can be particularly difficult if you work full-time and are very tired at night.

Try to pencil in some time every night to really connect with your child. This means asking genuine questions about their day and praising them for their accomplishments. When they feel they have enough attention from their parents, it helps them get to sleep and stay asleep.

4. A Better Bedroom

Sometimes, helping your child sleep is fairly simple. For example, it may be a matter of making sure their bedroom is conducive to sleep.

If your child is scared of the dark, don't be afraid to put in a night light. And if possible, try to keep the room cooler (75 degrees Fahrenheit or lower) to promote good sleep. Consider getting special pillows (such as an Easy Breather Pillow) to help them sleep better.

Finally, try to avoid sending your child to their bedroom as a form of punishment. The more they see the area as relaxing and soothing, the easier they can sleep.

5. Exercise During the Day

Not all child sleeping tips are limited to the evening. In fact, our next tip works best during the day. And that is making sure children get at least an hour of exercise a day.

Any exercise can do the trick. For example, you can supplement a child's normal running around and playing with a half-hour walk after lunch or dinner.

As long as the exercise doesn't take place within two hours of bedtime, your child should sleep better. And if you're taking walks together, you will, too!

6. No Sleeping With Pets

Children love the idea of sleeping with their pets. However, putting a stop to this will help your child sleep better at night.

Animals make random movements and noises while they sleep. While this can be cute, it can also wake your child up in the middle of the night. And kicking that dog or cat out of the bed may be the best thing you can do for your child's sleep.

7. A Snack Before Bedtime

Kids often beg for a snack before bedtime. And as it turns out, giving them this snack can help them sleep!

If you skip their snack, there is a chance your child will wake up hungry in the middle of the night. By giving them a light snack (like an apple or a glass of milk), you can reduce the risk of this happening.

Make sure it's not a large snack or small meal, however. Eating too much before sleeping is bad for children and adults alike!

8. Avoid Caffeine

This one may be a tad obvious, but here it is: try to avoid giving your children caffeine. If your child consumes caffeine even eight hours before bedtime, it can disrupt their sleep.

It's easy enough to avoid giving children caffeinated beverages like coffee and soda. But make sure you watch out for other surprise sources of caffeine, including tea and chocolate.

For best results, they should avoid caffeine altogether. If nothing else, avoiding caffeine within eight hours of bedtime will enhance their sleep.

9. "Wind-Down" Time

Getting a good night of sleep for your children is a matter of establishing certain routines. And one of the most important routines is having a dedicated "wind-down" time each night.

One hour before bedtime, try to focus your child on quiet activities such as reading or talking with you. Make sure they avoid TV shows, Youtube, playing outside, video games, or any kind of roughhousing. 

By transitioning from a quiet hour to a peaceful bedtime, your child is likelier to sleep throughout the night.

10. Careful With Content

Most parents don't go out of their way to show children content that is really scary or violent. Nonetheless, they may see something scary on a screen if you are flipping TV channels or watching random streams on platforms like Youtube or TikTok.

This kind of spooky content is likely to keep them from sleeping, especially if they see it close to their bedtime. If you do let your children watch such content or even play violent video games, try to contain that to the daytime instead of the evening so they are likely to sleep better.

Help Your Child Sleep Better: What's Next?

Now you know some ways to help your child sleep better. But do you know how to make their nights more comfortable than ever?

We are experts in all things bedding. To see how we can help you find the perfect mattresses and pillows for your child, contact us today!