BY CLAIR WHITTY
The summer holidays are coming to an end and for some of you this means getting the bedtime routine back on track for the school term. If you are dreading tricky nights of trying to get your toddlers and young children to sleep, here are some tips that may help.
A regular bedtime routine, even at the weekend is important for children as it helps to regulate their internal body clock. You could establish a book reading, or a bath routine to signal that bedtime is coming up soon. Aim to control the noise level if you can. Use blackout curtains to create a dark space. Keep an eye on the room temperature as if it is too hot or too cold it may affect your child’s ability to fall to sleep. Young children can be a nightmare to get to sleep, they often need a cuddle with their favourite toy, blanket, or their favourite story before they will settle down for the night.
Baths can be a great way to help a baby or toddler relax and calm down before bed. This could be followed by a gentle massage. If you like this idea, you could incorporate some BetterYou Magnesium Sleep Kid’s Body Spray into their routine. This is a mix of magnesium, lavender and chamomile which is simply massaged into their skin to help your child to calm down, relax, and soothe their senses before sleep. It can help them fall into a deeper and more sustained sleep and wouldn’t that be great. I love that this is suitable from 12 months onwards and is paediatrician approved, as well as dermatologically tested and suitable for sensitive skin.
Don’t forget yourself. You could unwind with a nighttime tea, or listen to some relaxing music before you head off to bed. See if you can avoid looking at your phone or any screen for an hour before bed, as the blue light emitted from these appliances can interfere with melatonin production, an important hormone required to stimulate the sleep cycle. There’s Magnesium Sleep Spray for adults too so you can hopefully get a restful night’s sleep too!
It can be difficult to get back into a sleep routine after a break so I hope that these tips will help.
