You can help your child get enough sleep by ensuring a balanced daily schedule and a regular sleep rhythm. A school-aged child is also usually old enough to understand the reasons why getting enough sleep is important if you explain them to them.
Regular daily meals, exercise, school and hobbies will help your child to feel tired in the evening. Clear evening routines, limiting screen time in the evening and having an appropriately sized evening snack also contribute to good sleep.
It is best not to let your child’s sleep schedule slip too much at weekends, as staying up late at the weekend can make it difficult for them to fall asleep on weekdays.
If your child is afraid of the dark or of sleeping alone in their room, try leaving the door ajar and getting them a night light that they like. A stuffed toy can also provide comfort.
Everyday balance and wellbeing
Sleep, nutrition, exercise, screen time and social relationships all affect each other.
Poor sleep increases cravings for sweets, and not getting enough to eat can decrease sleep quality. Too much screen time can cause sleep problems or make your child forget to eat if they get too immersed in what they are watching or playing. Sleep debt or insufficient nutrition can, in turn, make your child cranky and decrease their motivation to exercise – and thus further decrease their appetite or make them more tired.
In many cases, fixing just one aspect will also improve other aspects of everyday life. If you want to improve your family's wellbeing, you can start with a small fix. For example, adding outdoor physical activity to your afternoons can add rhythm to everyday life, improve appetite at dinner time and make it easier to fall asleep in the evening.
