Learn how to take the stress out of children’s bedtime. We all know Kid’s bedtime can be extremely stressful and exhausting. The last thing any parent or carer wants to have to do at bedtime is a bedtime tantrum, a child that doesn’t want to go to bed.
There are so many reasons that children don’t want to go to sleep but one big reason is actually over-stimulation, mostly caused by information and sensory overload, technology addiction. Sadly this is an even greater problem if your child is highly sensitive or has sensory issues.
Over-Stimulation, Stress And A Child’s Nervous System
Over-stimulation, stress can trigger a lot of issues in a child’s development it can seriously impact their Central Nervous System that is why it is so important that your child gets enough sleep. It is vital your child gets a deep healthy sleep to help rest, repair, and restore the mind, body, and emotions.
Tips for A Healthier Children’s Bedtime Routine
1. Set the same bedtime routine, every night especially on weekdays. A healthier children’s bedtime routine has structure and clear boundaries. Make sure your child knows what time they should be in bed.
2. Eliminate or reduce stimulants such as sugar, caffeine, as early in the day or evening as possible. Remove artificial sweeteners such as aspartame from your child’s diet as much as possible as they are highly toxic, in-fact neurotoxic. They are also very stimulating on a child’s nervous system.
3. Make sure homework, worries, and concerns are talked over, earlier in the evening. No one should take their worries to bed with them especially children. If your child suffers from anxiety get them the help they need. Chronic anxiety is not healthy and should be addressed as early as possible in children.
4. Begin an evening ritual that prepares your family, your children physically, mentally, emotionally for bedtime. Think of how you prepare a new born-baby for bedtime, a child’s bedtime routine should be the same. Prepare the whole family psychologically for bed. Bathe and comfort them, prepare children for a nice cosey night in bed. A few drops of lavender in the bath and/or on a tissue inside the pillow slip can be extremely calming and helpful for a restful night’s sleep.
5. Switch Off And Unplug. Your children’s bedtime routine should include closing the curtains, dimming the lights, reducing the sound on the TV, etc. at a specific time well before bed. Most of us sit at home in the evening using very bright stimulating light. LED light can have harmful effects on our circadian rhythm, our hormones, and sleep cycle. Just think what that does to a child. So encourage your children to switch off the TV, computer games, and mobile phones for at least 30 minutes before bedtime. This helps prepare children psychologically and physiologically for bed. It helps the minds unwind and relax, which in turn helps the body relax. Unplug at the wall, disconnect all electrical devices in your child’s bedroom, switch off your internet at nighttime to reduce your family to EMF exposure when sleeping.
7. Teach your child how to relax, most children are exposed to more external and internal stimulants than ever. Many children are not just overstimulated but anxious, stressed, and depressed. Many children today are struggling to relax. So much so many kids today need to re-learn how to relax properly. There are so many ways you can help your child to relax, kids love guided meditations like my Free Guardian Angel For Kids Guided Meditation. For older children encourage them to do something relaxing before bed, or teach them some Relaxation Therapy.
And Heres 10 Top Stress Relieving Tips for Parents
