Most parents do not get enough sleep at night, as their children often wake up during the night and it is very difficult for babies to get them to sleep afterwards. Here’s how to get your baby to sleep at night and get a good night’s sleep.
How to get your baby to sleep at night?
1. Set a sleep mode
Some parents assume that getting up late will tire kids out in the day, which will help them put the baby to sleep faster, making it easier for them to sleep. Not so, it may seem that an energetic child is working at full capacity until late in the evening. But a toddler who is awake before 9 or 10 p.m. is often ready for bed many hours earlier and is late for overwork — often due to fussiness or hyperactivity. Introducing earlier sleep times will make life much easier for parents, as studies have shown that blood pressure, heart rate, and the release of cortisol (a hormone regulated by stress) in a child have a positive effect on early sleep.
2. Create a calm atmosphere
Many babies need help to calm down for the night before they go to bed. Try to start reducing your child’s exposure to light about 60 minutes before bedtime, as too much light during this time can negatively affect circadian rhythms or inner sleep hours. This is especially true for electronics with screens (e.g. tablets, TVs, computers). Research shows that using electronics right before bed or in bed can actually make it difficult for your child to fall asleep in the long run. Of course, don’t assume that your child needs complete darkness to fall asleep. It is advised to put a small night light.
3. Silence
Parents should focus on creating a nurturing sleep environment for their child, including staying calm. Some children seem to be more sensitive than others when it comes to noise at night. Unfortunately for some families, this means tiptoeing around the house for hours after their baby goes to bed – not a very practical or pleasant solution. If this is a problem for your family, try to reduce your child’s sensitivity to noise by slowly creating relaxing background noises in his bedroom, such as a fan, quiet relaxing music.
4. Sequence
Children need consistency to help them feel safe. Without consistent sleep patterns, it can lead to the baby not wanting to sleep. Never knowing when you will get your baby ready for bed, how long it will take, or how long he will sleep will make it difficult for you to control your day, and your baby may have a crisis towards the end of the day before you even begin the sleep process. The comfort and stability of regular sleep is an important criterion for the day.
5. Sleep in the afternoon
Many babies actually need mid-day sleep to function properly. In children during the day, a natural decrease in energy and alertness, even after a long sleep at night, and daytime sleep, corresponds to the child’s natural biological need for rest. Midday sleep allows the body to produce hormones that fight daily stress and tension, and the beneficial properties are preserved until sleep.
6. Calm your child down before bed
Parents know how important daily reading is for developing consciousness, but what you read before bed does matter. Adventure books can activate a child’s imagination or cause some anxiety, which can lead to a difficult transition to sleep. Choose to read calm, relaxing books.
7. Relax your child
While many children fall asleep easily, especially after a busy day, this is not the case for all children and it may take some parenting action to help relax the baby. Relaxing massage, soothing song. Ultimately, give the baby the opportunity to calm down, so that positive, calm thoughts would turn on in his awareness.
