Yet another night of broken sleep? You are not alone. Research has shown that up to 70% of children under five don’t consistently sleep through. It can be one of the toughest nuts to crack in terms of parenting young children, as tired parents or carers are not in the best shape to tackle the problem. However, a little resilience goes a long way and if you try our five simple tips, you should find yourselves on the road to a better night for everyone. Remember, children are as unique as adults, and it is entirely normal for many of them to wake at night. It is up to you to show them how to settle by themselves without necessarily waking you.

 

1. Timing is everything. Begin your sleep training when you have a clear few weeks ahead, free of upheavals such as holidays, starting pre-school or school, a new baby sibling, potty training or other unsettling events.

2. Your child’s sleep will benefit enormously from a consistent routine as it helps to set their body clock. Bedtime should be the same time every day, at an hour when your child is still content rather than tired and grumpy. Children actually find it harder to settle if they are overtired. Start your routine about half an hour before bedtime and use it to wind down and share some one-to-one time. Once your child is fed, watered, bathed and changed, start the process of getting them to bed. It's important that your child associates getting ready for bed with going to bed. A soothing story followed by a song can really help calm an excitable child and, in time, often becomes a trigger for sleepiness. The goal is to train your child to settle and fall asleep without you in order that they can settle alone if they wake during the night, so gradually reduce the time you stay with them. Calming music and lighting can be a nice distraction which has been shown to soothe children to sleep and is certainly worth a try.

3. Decide on your strategy during the day, when resolve is stronger. If you have a partner, who will get up to settle the child or take the child back to bed, how will they settle the child and for how long? Aim to review this weekly. Night-time is when resolve is most in danger of crumbling: your child wakes you, again, and all you can think about is how much you want to go back to sleep. Remind yourself that a few weeks of resilience at night will certainly pay off in the long run.  

4. Think about diet and lifestyle while sleep training. Certain foods are known to make children feel more ready for sleep and conversely, some actively discourage sleep. Stay away from anything sugary in the two hours leading up to bedtime, as sugar is a stimulant. Protein can also cause an energy burst in your child if eaten too close to bedtime. Calcium has a calming effect hence the tradition for a bedtime cup of milk. Accompany this with a small snack such as a banana or a piece of bread to ensure your little one is not going to wake in the night because of a rumbling tummy. A good dose of fresh air and exercise will usually have a very positive effect on the quality of sleep of both adults and children. If your child is still napping during the day, ensure naps are finished by 3pm. If your child wakes very early you could also try reducing the length of the daytime naps.

5. Don’t forget to look after yourself. It really is the case that everything seems more manageable after a good night’s sleep, so if you are really struggling to cope, ask grandparents or other trusted adults known by the children to take over for a night or two.

Lastly, have faith in your chosen strategies, stick to them, and you will soon reap the rewards. Good Luck!

 

Written for the Early Years Alliance by Martha Hales.