GET Help: Bedtime Routine
A challenge most parents face is implementing a successful bedtime routine. Most pediatric sleep experts agree that a good bedtime routine is key to a good night’s sleep. The goal is to help you teach your child how to independently fall asleep without being rocked, using screens, or their parent lying next to them. There is no single “correct” way to start a bedtime routine. That means it’s your job to follow your child’s needs. For example, some kids may really like to hear a bedtime story, but for others, this may be too exciting to fall asleep after! Others may want to talk about their day, say prayers, pick out their own pajamas, etc. Bedtime routines also vary based on age, however, the effects of a bedtime routine as an older child, teen, or even adult still hold true. A good bedtime routine for all ages is recommended to get good restorative rest (1).
Excess weight
Decreased physical activity
Increased food intake
Poor mental health, including depression, depressive symptoms
Unhealthy risk behaviors including alcohol, tobacco, and drug use
Risk-taking behaviors, bullying, school violence-related behaviors, and physical fighting
Higher risk of unintentional injury
Implications of consistently poor sleep hygiene (3):
Poor focus
Trouble concentrating
Problems paying attention
Health problems: obesity, type 2 diabetes, poor mental health, and injuries
Attention and behavior problems
Poor academic performance in school
Don’t
Do something stimulating before bed: For example, running around, screentime,
Think poor sleep habits will fade: They may, but most likely they won’t.
Create poor sleep associations: As much as it hurts, try not to caudle them to sleep each night. Once they wake up, they will need that interaction to fall back asleep.
Take too long: Children may drag out their bedtime routine with requests for drinks, snacks, using the bathroom, ask for extra stories or songs.
Eat sugary foods or drinks with caffeine: While the idea of a sugar crash seems tempting, try to avoid sugary foods or drinks with caffeine several hours before bed.
Do
Consistency: Your routine will change long term, however, it’s important to keep it consistent short term.
Incorporate dental hygiene: Clean baby’s gums or remind your older child to brush their teeth
Keep it short: 10-15 minutes
Provide limited choices: To give children a sense of control in their
bedtime routine, offer a couple of books or PJs to choose from.Potty before bed: Important for preventing bedwetting
The sooner the better: Establish a bedtime routine early on.
Prepare for tears: As they settle down for sleep, some kids may cry.
As long as they settle down quickly, this is okay.Blackout shades: It’s much easier for a child to fall asleep / stay asleep
when the room is dark. Blackout shades can be helpful. Dim night lights
are okay as long as they aren’t too bright.Use security object: Offer a blanket or animal for children 1+ yo.
Tips from an OT(3)
Bedtime routine for Toddlers:
Bath, story, song, prayers, etc.
Cozy pajamas with feet to prevent diaper removal during the night or socks being lost
Settling down >1 hr before bedtime
Reading the same story each night as part of a routine
Consistent sleep space
Quiet the home after bedtime
Remove screens, tablets, phones, etc. from the bedroom
Safe sleep space (toddler bed, bed rails)
Comfortable sleep space with sheets, blankets
Bedtime routine for preschool age
Consistent bedtime
Bedtime stories
Bath before bed
Songs and/or gratitude practice before bed
Consistent nap times or quiet time during the day
Alarm clock so that kids can see the time to get out of bed in the morning (and not wake up too early)
Quiet, cool, and calm sleeping space
Calm bedtime routine (try to incorporate these bedtime stretches)
Tips from an SLP(2)
Visual Schedule:
For children with language delays visual schedules help bridge the gap from non-verbal to verbal language (the next page has a template)
Brushing teeth:
While brushing teeth, use location words like top, middle, front, back, etc. to tell them where to brush next. You could also count or say the ABCs while they're doing so.
Putting on pajamas:
Talk about what you're doing while you're doing it! Some good vocab: shirt, pants, pajamas, slippers, put on, put the arm in,
pull up, etc.
Bedtime Story:
Books are always a great way to work on speech and language skills, label pictures, ask questions, predict what comes next, etc.
Gratitude Practice:
Create a gratitude jar. Each night, ask your child to name one thing they are grateful for. Have them write it on a slip of paper to place in the jar. At the end of each week, read and remind yourself all the wonderful things in your life!
Tuck your child in:
Ask your child to guess something they may dream about. Ask them to describe as many details as they can.
Goodnight kisses:
Label body parts by asking where they would like their goodbye kisses.
