From birth through five years, children require over 11 hours of sleep a day to support their mental and physical development. That’s a lot of hours spent in one room! Here are four tips to make them count (they’ll even help you, too!):
- Clean with care and clean often. Swap out dusting products with microfiber cloths. They are a “grippy” material that can pick up dust and dirt with or without water. Dust mites can be a problem in the bedroom as they thrive on dead skin cells and their excrement can trigger allergic reactions. Open your windows everyday to improve indoor air quality. Yes, even in the winter, and especially while cleaning.
- Connect about their day. One of the reasons we often have trouble falling asleep is because it’s usually the first time in the day where there are no distractions to prevent us from focussing on things that are on our mind. This is also true for our children. Provide them with daily opportunities before bedtime to talk about their day, discuss worries, or draw pictures about their feelings. You might even read books that relate to their worries to open a conversation but reserve something light-hearted for the bedtime story.
- Create a wind down ritual. After dinnertime, activate the beginnings of your bedtime plan. Lower the lights, change into pajamas, and do quiet activities as a family. This is the perfect time to make sure your child has lots of hugs and time from you so they can go to sleep with their attachment bucket filled. I also love spritzing some lavender spray into the air which can promote sleepiness. Melatonin can be suppressed by the glow of screens so aim to end any screen time at least one hour prior to bedtime.
- Prioritize your child’s mattress and bedding. While in their bedrooms, children spend most of their time cuddled up in their beds. An organic mattress or one that is GREENGUARD certified is but if that’s not an option there are still substantial changes you can make. If the mattress is new, let it off-gas (preferably outside of your home). If an organic mattress is not in your budget, cover the conventional mattress in a non-PVC cover. We would also recommend a twin mattress, we managed to find an organic one, and it worked perfectly for my little girl! Wash your children’s bedding in a fragrance-free detergent or one that is made with essential oils. Fragrances often contain phthalates, a toxic ingredient which can impact respiratory systems. Use wool dryer balls instead of sheets to reduce static cling to keep their slumber as pure as possible. You can do a further audit of your child’s sleep space with this Green Nursery Checklist (link to: http://www.greenmomscollective.ca/baby-green-nursery-guide/)
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