2 Ways to Help Your Child Sleep Better
Is your child frequently sleepy? Do they look tired even at the start of the day? Your child is probably sleep-deprived.
Of course, we do not want that for our children. We want them to maximize their day. They should have enough energy for school, homework, play time, chores, and even socialization. They should be able to go about their routine without being sluggish.
They should be enjoying their day not feeling sleepy. So if our children lack sleep, what should be do? What can parents do to help them sleep better at night?
Cut down on screen time before bed time. – These children are born in a time were technology is part of our everyday life. We rely on technology in one way or another, adults and children alike. It’s undeniable that technology makes our lives definitely easier.
They provide ease, convenience, and even entertainment. The advancement of technology isn’t really all that bad. They are also tools that can help our children in learning. We would just like to clarify that it certainly has its benefits as well.
However, as they say too much of anything is bad. That goes for technology as well, especially when you go online. Your children’s browsing for a few minutes could turn into hours if left unmonitored. That means screen time took away precious sleep time.
Another thing you should think about – our gadgets emit a blue light that represses our melatonin production. What is melatonin and why is it important? This is a hormone that regulates our sleep cycle. Simply put, it tells the body when to wake or when to sleep.
Melatonin production peaks at night so gadget usage inhibits it. That’s probably one of the reasons why your child is having difficulty sleeping. They can use their gadgets but make sure that they are not reaching for it when it’s near their bed time. Set a screen time limit and designate the time when it should be used only.
Replace their old mattress. – How old is your child’s mattress? How long has it been in use? This could also be a contributing cause why your child isn’t sleeping well. Some people would argue that it should still be fine as long as it’s not falling apart.
However, an old mattress can still be fairly serviceable but it will no longer serve its best purpose. It’s supposed to give your child comfort and quality sleep. First of all, an old mattress isn’t that clean anymore.
It can now be home to dust mites, bed bugs, and other allergens. These might give your children allergy attacks and respiratory diseases. Not only that the children are disturbed from sleep, they have to deal with the allergen effects hours after.
Secondly, an old mattress is no longer firm on the areas that should be because of the years’ wear and tear. How can your child have quality sleep if the mattress is lumpy and saggy? They would just be continuously shifting their positions during the night and would probably wake up with muscle soreness.
Some parents find it hard to replace the mattress because it’s too much of a hassle to get a new one. They have to go to the store, deal with the bulk, and so on. These days, you can order a mattress online. If you worry about the size, you could get a mattress in a box. Same mattress, just packed with less of the bulk.
However, if you’re going to purchase online, make sure that the manufacturer offers more information about their mattresses. It should cover trial and warranty just in case you have a concern on their product.
Bottom line, there’s really no excuse why parents shouldn’t replace their child’s old mattress anymore. Their sleep is important, and that aging mattress is no longer helping. If it will help them get better sleep, just change it now.
