A sleep guru has shared some simple tips for parents on how to get their kids to sleep, and you could get even light sleepers to drift off through the night if you give them an affordable snack before bedtime
Parents often find themselves tearing their hair out over bedtime, with young children refusing to go to bed for a variety of reasons. Whether they’re too wrapped up in what they’re doing, or completely shattered but unable to drift off, it’s essential to bear in mind that getting enough sleep is absolutely critical for your child’s mental, physical, social, and emotional wellbeing.
It helps with remembering things and can even improve their school results and help them to grow big and strong. That said, changing a youngster’s sleeping patterns can leave parents feeling rather worn out. Thankfully, there’s no cause for alarm as there are methods available to help little ones ease into a regular bedtime routine.
Sleep guru Martin Seeley, from MattressNextDay, has shared his best advice for getting a child’s sleep pattern back on track.
One rather unexpected tip involves giving them a savoury snack before lights out, with oat cakes possibly holding the key to a restful night’s sleep.
Martin says: “What your child eats close to bedtime can also contribute to whether they have a good or bad night’s sleep. Foods such as oat biscuits, bananas and milk contain an amino acid called tryptophan. This makes them feel drowsy and, therefore, more likely to fall asleep.”
Oat cakes can be bought at Sainsbury’s for £1.15 for a pack of 24, making them less than 5p each.
Foods rich in tryptophan can induce sleepiness, so experts recommend eating them roughly an hour before bedtime for best results.
Sleep specialist Martin has offered guidance for parents struggling with bedtime battles, explaining: “It’s tricky, but try to be firm and let them know that once they are in bed, they must stay in bed.”
He recommends a straightforward strategy should children leave their beds, stating: “If they do get out of bed, don’t react, but simply walk them back to bed without saying anything. This further supports the rule that once you’re in bed, you’re in bed until the morning.”
Martin also suggests that electronic gadgets should be turned off at least two hours prior to sleep.
He said: “This one can be very difficult, especially if giving your child their device is something you do regularly to keep them occupied. However, the blue light emitted on tablets and phones can trick their mind into thinking that it’s daytime, despite it being dark outside.
“If it’s not possible to remove them two hours before bedtime, try gradually increasing the time spent without the device in line with moving bedtime earlier.”