It’s World Sleep Day on March 15! To celebrate, I’m giving you some of my top tips for creating healthy and sustainable routines to get everyone in the family the best sleep possible.
Implementing a Bedtime Routine
One of the easiest things to implement is a calming and predictable bedtime routine. Research shows that bedtime routines improve infant sleep and that it’s a dose-dependent relationship, meaning the earlier you start the more effective it can be! It doesn’t have to be long or complicated though- what matters most is just doing the same things in the same order each night. It’s important that we go through the bedtime routine with our little ones as distraction-free as possible. One possible routine might be bath and teeth brushing, followed by getting pajamas on and snuggling to read books together. Choices can be really helpful if you have toddlers- they love to feel a sense of agency. Letting them pick their own pajamas or books gives them a little bit of power.
I’m always tell parents that they should never underestimate the power and importance of connection. Our little ones are born with the innate desire and need to attach to us. They go through many bouts of separation anxiety in the first couple of years. This can show up as “fighting” sleep or resisting bedtime- because they see it as a separation from us! Adding in some intentional connection time in the evening can be such a game changer. Try to put your phone away and offer some one to one time after dinner and set aside some time to snuggle, read books, sing songs, play a game- whatever your child enjoys. Incorporating togetherness into the bedtime routine helps our little ones feel safe and secure so they can go to sleep with a full cup.
Read more: How to Combat Sleep Anxiety
Sensory Input
Sensory time during the day is also a great way to encourage better sleep at night. And I’m not talking about fancy sensory bins- sensory play can be anything from sitting in the sunshine feeling the grass with our toes, to helping you “wash” the dishes with soapy water, to laying on the floor working on skills like rolling, scooting, crawling, etc. Our babies and little kids need lots of time for free movement and exploration during the day, especially if they’re currently working on a new milestone like crawling or walking. It’s really common for little ones to want to practice those types of skills overnight- which of course disrupts sleep! Giving them plenty of time for practice during the day can help their bodies calm down at night.
Read more: Sleepmaxxing
The Sleep Environment
The sleep environment is another simple way to encourage better sleep. Think about how you’d like your bedroom to be for your ideal sleep. Maybe cave-like? Dark, cool, and calming? Babies like the same thing. Think about adding “sleep associations” to their room and routine as well- like turning on a sound machine and putting them in a sleep sack- to cue them that sleep time is coming and to make sure they’re cozy!
Managing Our Own Sleep Hygiene
I always like to remember that we can’t fully control another human being- so if sleep isn’t going well with our little ones for a phase, it’s important to focus on getting good rest ourselves.
It’s often our own sleep hygiene habits that can make the biggest impact on how well rested we feel. I like to tell parents that they should take the same thought and care in creating their own bedtime ritual that they do for their baby’s! Maybe that means a hot shower or doing some skincare, having a cup of tea, or snuggling with your partner. Maybe it means swapping your late night scroll sessions for reading a good book, journaling, or listening to a meditation or podcast.
There are so many things we can do to create a calming evening routine for ourselves that will actually improve not only the quality of our sleep but also help us fall asleep more quickly- we need every minute to count as new parents, right!?
Another thing that makes a difference is what we do during the day. Things like getting outside in the morning sunlight, moving our bodies, limiting caffeine and eating nourishing foods also set us up for the best sleep possible at night.
Read more: Boost Your Mood Naturally with a Dopamine Menu
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