How to Establish Good Sleeping Patterns for Your Child

Many parents are not aware just how sleep deprived children these days are getting. With most kids' bedrooms being equipped with computers, televisions and video games many children are not getting the proper amount of sleep they need to function to the best of their ability. Here is look at some ways to help your child develop healthy sleep patterns and get them on the right schedule they need.

The first step you will want to take involves setting up a routine. About an hour to a hour and a half before your child's bedtime you will want to start the routine. This usually involves them getting a warm bath, getting in their pajamas and winding down for the day. Once they are in their pajamas you can do something calming such as reading a book together. Once your child has become accustomed to this routine they will start to automatically associate with going to bed and their bodies will start to associate with it as well.

You will want your child's room to be completely dark. If you are dealing with a child who is afraid of the dark you can put in a small night-light but you will want to avoid one that is too bright. Children who fall asleep with even a small lamp on are much more likely to wake up several times a night and studies have even shown that children who fall asleep with a light or a television on have a higher chance of becoming near-sighted.

While of course your child's room likely holds their toys you will want to put away anything that can tempt them to stay awake. If they do have a television or computer in their room be sure to turn them completely off so they will not be temped to try and turn them on. Video games, especially hand-held video games should also be put up and out of the way of tempting the child.

Some children find they sleep better with some white noise in the background. Fans, fish tanks or even special machines that specifically generate white noise can be of great comfort to a child. Some white noise machines even work as alarm clocks so you are able to set them when you want your child to awake in the morning time.

Finally a good diet is essential to helping your child develop healthy sleep patterns. If at all possible you will want to avoid giving your child anything to eat after 7 p.m. Children should also avoid foods and drinks high in caffeine and sugar as this will keep them awake and hinder them from falling asleep at their bedtime.

If after you have tried these methods and you still find your child is having difficulty sleeping properly you may want to look at other factors such as what foods they are eating during the day and how much sleep they are actually getting. Young toddlers up to age 3 need at least 13 hours of sleep a day while children up to age 7 need around 12 hours a day. From ages 7-18 kids should have at least 8 hours and up to 12 in order for them to be able to concentrate and feel their best.