How To Create The Perfect Sleep Environment For Your Toddler
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Every parent knows how crucial it is to create a safe and secure environment for their baby to sleep in, and this doesn’t change as they grow into toddlers. Toddlers may be full of energy, always running around and causing trouble, but they also need to sleep well, in order to grow and develop properly. And unlike adults, they can’t fall asleep with noise and a tube light in their face. Putting a toddler to sleep is a hard and tiring process. You need to nag, beg, bargain and bribe them to put their toys away and enter their rooms. But once you get there, there are still a few things you can do that your child gets restful sleep through the night. If you were wondering how to make sure your toddler stays asleep, then this is the article for you. Here are a few ways in which you can create the perfect environment to support your toddler’s beauty sleep.
1. Make Sure The Room Is Dark
This is the first step to a successful full night’s sleep for both parent and child. Darkness can activate and release the hormone melatonin which is responsible for putting the body to sleep. Light suppresses this hormone, which is why your little one is less likely to drift into dreamland if you’re in a bright place or have one too many lights in their room. There’s no problem with having a night light that doesn’t cast more than a soft glow throughout the room, but make sure the big lights are switched off before you even lead them into the room. Entering a nice dark space will signal to them that it is time to calm down and settle into bed. This way they are more likely to go to sleep in a short while.
2. Make Sure It’s A Quiet Place
If you’re having a huge party or your child’s room is right next to a busy road, it’s going to be extremely difficult for them to fall asleep. Noise is distracting, and your toddler is going to twist and turn at the sound of blaring horns. So, if you can, give your toddler a room that is quieter where they can easily drift off to sleep. If you can’t, then make use of white noise or play some calm music to help your baby sleep. Once your little one is out cold, there’s no need to torture yourself by tiptoeing around. You can go back to walking and talking at your normal decibel. If you live in a warmer place, even putting on the fan can do a good job of masking any unwanted outside noises.
3. Cool Temperature
There’s another reason for switching the fan on in your toddler’s room. Did you know that our core body temperature actually has to fall in order for us to be able to fall asleep? How wild is that! But this means that you need to avoid overdressing your toddler to bed. Putting them in some comfy cotton pajamas will do. But you need to ensure that they are not shivering with cold either. The perfect spot would be for the room temperature to be anywhere between about 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure that your little one is wearing something airy and breathable. If your house is a little bit on the colder side due to the weather then don’t hesitate to bring them a nice big warm blanket to keep them cozy all through the night. However, keep in mind that giving a child younger than 1 a blanket can be a health risk as they may suffocate at night. If you find that your toddler is sweating during the night, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they feel hot. Toddlers can sweat while they sleep and although this is gross, it’s also very normal.
4. Place The Crib In A Safe Spot
No, your little one may not wake up crying for you anymore, but they still do wake up. And when they do, they attempt to climb out of their crib, which can be dangerous. So, make sure that the crib isn’t placed next to a window or curtains, or a table that they can bump into and injure themselves on. Make sure there are no surfaces around them to climb on top of in order to aid in their escape plan. Instead place your crib in the lowest possible setting, one side backed against a wall with nothing else around it. This will make it hard for your little one to climb over the railing and will ensure that they are less likely to get hurt if they manage to.
Making sure that your toddler is asleep doesn’t have to be a sport. With a few changes here and there, your little one will be snoring away in no time!
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