Sleep Hygiene Guide for Kids
- María Luisa Feijóo
- 20 jun 2021
- 2 Min. de lectura
The term "sleep hygiene" is mentioned so much that it could be said it is fashionable. However, this term is mainly used regarding adult sleep; it is rarely mentioned about children.
For this reason, I want to share the sleep hygiene guide provided by the World Sleep Day committee [1], understanding that "sleep hygiene" refers to all those practices that promote quality sleep [2].
This guide consists of the following ten recommendations:
Keep a fixed time to go to bed with your children, ideally before 9:00 pm (the time you determine will still vary according to age).
Maintain an appropriate nap schedule for your child's age.
Establish a consistent and positive sleep routine that includes sleep-related activities (brushing teeth, putting on pyjamas, etc.).
The room should invite your children to sleep, so it should be dark, quiet and maintain a cool temperature.
Always invite children to sleep independently.
Avoid exposing children to bright lights in the afternoon and at night. In contrast, it is recommended to tell them to be a natural and shining light in the early hours of the morning.
Avoid children eating heavy foods and engaging in vigorous physical activity in the hours before going to sleep.
Keep all electronic devices (T.V., computer, mobile, iPad, etc.) out of the children's room and restrict their use before sleeping.
Avoid consuming caffeine in the form of soda, tea, coffee, and chocolate.
Maintain a daily routine and regular schedules for all your children's activities, especially meals.
While these practices can be of great help (and I hope they are), they should be taken with caution, especially when implementing them with children who have sleep problems. I always recommend expert guidance in these cases since not all recommendations may be suitable for all children.
If you have any questions about the guide in general or any particular guidelines, do not hesitate to write me in the comments or contact me.
Sweet dreams!
References
[2] - World Sleep Society. (2020). Healthier Sleep in Children. Recuperado de https://worldsleepday.org/tips-for-children