A healthy lifestyle

In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle it is important for your child to sleep well and regain energy and strength for the next day. During puberty, many adolescents prefer going to sleep later even if they have to wake up early to go to school. They sleep more during the weekend to compensate for the lost hours of sleep during the week. It is important to know that having sleeping patterns that vary too much can desynchronise their biological clock. Since the quantity of sleep influences their focus, processing speed, attention, and ability to control your emotions throughout the day, it is very important that they get a good night’s sleep every evening.

What should I do if my child has trouble sleeping?

Establishing a routine

During the day

You can encourage your child to spend time outside during the day and take advantage of the sunlight, which can help stabilize their sleep cycle. You can also explain that doing 60 minutes of daily exercises is beneficial, while making sure that they avoid exercising less than 4 hours before bedtime. Do not let your children take naps during the day and try to limit their caffeine consumption. Make sure they have a balanced evening diet while being aware that too much or not enough food can also prevent them from sleeping well. Smoking before bed can also prevent them for falling asleep because nicotine is a stimulant.

In the evening

Try to keep track of your child’s daily waking times and sleeping times, and discipline them to maintain the same sleeping schedule, even on the weekends. Before going to bed, encourage him or her to rest for about an hour while listening to relaxing music or reading a book in an environment with dimmed lights. Prior to that, you can suggest that they spend time to think of things in their lives that are causing them stress and write them down in a journal in order to prevent them from bothering them while they are attempting to sleep. If they wake up often because they need to go to the bathroom, remind them to avoid having any drinks after 6 p.m. Lastly, tell them to not drink alcohol before going to bed because it will disturb their sleep.

Sleeping comfortably

To promote a good night’s sleep, it is preferable that your child always sleeps in the same place. Do not set up a television in your child’s room; it is better to keep their room reserved for sleeping only. Avoid making too much noise near their room and keep their room at an agreeable temperature. Make sure that their mattress is comfortable and that their curtains keep the light out of their room.