6 Clever Hacks to Get Your Child to Sleep

Struggling to get children to sleep at night is a tale as old as time. With screens and electronics seemingly everywhere these days, it’s more challenging than ever before.

There are many factors that can contribute as to why your child isn’t falling into a manageable sleep routine. A good night’s sleep is one of the most important elements of a strong immune system, so we’re going to let you in on 6 hacks to get your child to sleep. 

1. Make Sure They’re Comfortable

How is it that we can fall asleep on the couch in the middle of an enthralling Netflix series, yet stay up all night because we can’t do the same once we’re in bed? It could simply be because the couch is more comfortable!

One of the best hacks to go to sleep is simply being comfy! There’s a chance the reason why your child can’t fall asleep is because they are uncomfortable. Oftentimes, it’s that they’re too hot. 

Studies suggest that the ideal room temperature to fall asleep in is anywhere between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s really difficult to fall asleep when a room is too hot, so keep an eye on that. In the colder months, make sure that there aren’t any cracks or open windows causing icy drafts to come in. 

2. Watch Waking Hours

This is another one of the largest factors in getting kids to sleep! If your baby or toddler is overtired, they may have a more difficult time drifting off into dreamland. Take a look at this guide to reference how long your child should be awake between naps:

• Newborns (0 - 12 weeks): 45 minutes

• 3 - 5 months: 1.5 - 2 hours

• 6 - 8 months: 2 - 3 hours

• 9 - 12 months: 3 to 4 hours

• 13 months to 2.5 years: 5 - 6 hours
  

The key here is to set your child down for a nap before they hit the point of overtiredness. It may seem counterintuitive, but you’ll likely notice they drift off much easier both at naptime and at bedtime! 

Related: Baby Sleep Regression 6 Months: What to Expect

3. Keep the Room Dark

No matter what age, humans sleep better in the dark. It’s part of our biological code, even though many children are afraid of the dark. Do what you can to keep your child’s room as dark as possible, and use tools like a nightlight if necessary. A nightlight will offer a comforting glow without disrupting their sleep cycle. 

Your child will experience better quality sleep during naps if their room is dark, too. This is where blackout curtains or blinds really come in handy! 

4. Limit Screen Time

It’s no secret that using any type of screens before bed can affect sleep quality. This goes for adults just as it does children. Playing video games or watching videos can increase brain activity, hyping us up and making it harder to relax in preparation for bedtime. 

We also know that blue light can throw off our natural circadian rhythm and have serious negative effects towards our health. For these reasons, it’s best to limit all screen activity for at least an hour before bedtime. 

If you can’t physically be there to ensure screens go off an hour before bed, try checking to see if your child’s device(s) have some type of screen limit timer option. This way, you can set them to turn off at 7, for example, if they have to be in bed at 8. 

5. Predictability Is Key

Children may be unpredictable at times, but our favorite hack to get child to sleep is predictability. Setting them up with reliable routines will set you all up for success. Try to create a short and dependable bedtime routine lasting no more than 30 minutes. This routine may look different, depending on your children and their ages. 

With younger children, their bedtime should take their nap times into consideration. Their bedtime will likely be around 4 to 5 hours after their last daytime nap. 

The bedtime routine should always be rather boring, though. Many children will try to postpone bedtime by running around, standing up, playing games, etc. Don’t engage in this behavior, keeping a level head and a calm attitude. If you are boring, they will also get bored and stop with the games. 

No tickle fights, no jumping on the bed, no watching TV, etc. during those 30 minutes before bedtime. That’s not to say you should never do this, just not directly before they need to fall asleep. 

Here’s a bedtime routine that always seems to work for us: 

• Bathtime (5 minutes) 

• Put on PJs (5 minutes) 

• Read a story or sing a calming lullaby/songs (10 minutes)

• Nursing or bottle (10 minutes)

In addition, make sure your child always falls asleep in the same place at the same time. If they sleep at night in their bed, they should have naps in their bed. If they’re sleeping in different places all the time, it can cause a big disrupt in the length and quality of sleep they’re getting at night. 

6. Feed After Naps

While it may be easy for adults to fall asleep after a food coma, for many children, they have trouble falling asleep due to a feeding-sleep association. This means that they’ve connected the concepts of feeding and sleeping to the point where they feel they need a bottle/nursing/snack before they can drift off. 

You can break this pattern or avoid it altogether by feeding right after naptime. We highly recommend using an app like Baby Connect to track feedings and nap times so you never have to play the guessing game if you happen to forget what time they last ate.