Ideally your child should be going to sleep and waking up within the same 1-2 hour time frame each day to nurture their natural body clock. Changing these times too often can have a negative impact on your child, similar to jet lag, which will drain their energy, put them in a bad mood and make going to sleep even harder. 

A child’s bedroom should be a sleep sanctuary, with the ideal lighting and noise level to promote heading off to the land of nod. Their room should be somewhere they feel safe, is quiet, cool and dark – unless your child is afraid of the dark, then a small nightlight is recommended. Removing technological distractions from the room such as laptops and iPad’s an hour before bedtime will also help with the wind-down process. As blue light from these devices can trick the brain into thinking it needs to stay awake. 

If your child is too full or too hungry before bed it can make them uncomfortable and restless. Ensuring they have a nutritious meal around 3 hours before bed is ideal, with a small bedtime snack if they’re still hungry. Snacks that are high in protein or fibre such as nuts, hummus, Greek yoghurt, eggs or berries are recommended – whilst sugar and caffeine should be avoided. 

Exercise isn’t only great for your child’s fitness, cardiovascular health and weight control, but also for sleep. Research has shown that children who take part in regular physical exercise go to sleep quicker and for longer than those with an inactive lifestyle. Allow time for playtime and exercise at least 2 hours before bed, any later and your little ones may still be too stimulated for sleep.

The amount of sleep a child needs varies based on their individual needs and age. So, it’s important to keep up-to-date with the daily recommendations as they get older. To find out the suggested amount of sleep for your child, visit the NHS website here.