Tips to Help Your Child Who Can’t Sleep

Is your child struggling with sleeping? It can be tough on both the parents and the child when they can’t sleep. Luckily, there are some things you can do to help your child sleep at night. Here are some tips to help you out so your whole family can start getting rest again.

Get Into a Routine

A lot of times kids just need a routine to help them get to sleep at night. A snack, a bath, and a book before bedtime does the trick for many kids. They just need that predictability to help get them to sleep. 

Keep the Schedule Light

Another way to help your child to sleep at night is to let up on the schedule. Overscheduling can lead to getting to bed late, which can result in an overtired child that can’t sleep. No one wants to see their child pushed past the point of exhaustion, so it’s important to keep the schedule light. 

Keep the Caffeine and Sugar Away

Sugary drinks and caffeine can keep a child from sleeping at night. For kids who are younger, it’s best to avoid giving them caffeine at all. If they do have caffeine, avoid giving it to them anywhere remotely close to bedtime. Sugar can have the same effect on kids and keep them up way past when you’d like them to be asleep.

Make Sure There’s No Medical Condition

Some children cannot sleep due to health issues. If you have tried everything to get your child to sleep and it’s still not working, you may want to schedule an evaluation with the doctor. Asthma, allergies, restless leg syndrome, and even night terrors are all significant reasons children can’t sleep at night. Ruling out each one will help you identify why your child isn’t sleeping at night. 

Avoid Electronics

Believe it or not, electronics can keep your brain from shutting down and getting a good night’s rest. Don’t let your child play on any electronics for at least the hour before bedtime. This will help your child unwind and get their mind ready for bed for the night. For kids who cannot resist looking at their electronics after you have sent them to bed, keep the iPads and iPhones close to you. 

Tea Before Bed

If you’re tried everything under the sun and your child still isn’t settling down to go to sleep, consider allowing your child to drink tea before they head to bed. Warm tea can help relax their body so they can sleep better at night.

Helping your child get rest is an important task as a parent. Another thing you can do to ensure they are getting rest is to get them to bed at a decent time. Kids need anywhere from 10-12 hours of sleep a night to feel well rested. Do you have any tips to add to this list?