It’s National Sleep Day on Sunday, with the craziness of the of spring and warm weather around the corner it's a good time to rest up in preparation for those longer days. Sleep may be needed for most but perhaps you didn’t know that it is required for children. 

This week’s blog is all about how children, and not just parents, can benefit from their bedtime. Get those bedtime stories ready and dim the lights because here we go. 

Why?

1. Child Focus...Just as it is for adults, children need sleep to function properly. A good night's sleep for preschoolers and children in kindergarten means they won’t be falling asleep at school and their attention span will be much longer too. With a longer attention span comes a better chance of learning which is a key element in how to improve grades. 
2. A child or baby bedtime may be all about rest and revitalization but you may be surprised to hear that children learn even as they sleep. As they rest, the process in all the information they have taken in that day absorbing it into the deeper areas of their memory. 
3. Children who lack the necessary hours of sleep tend to have a less positive outlook and personality. You may find that if your child lacks sleep, it may affect their ability to socialize with their peers. In the latter sense, a well-rested child will be able to make more positive decisions which will, in turn, better their mood.
4. A lack of sleep can lead to a weaker immune system. If your child has trouble sleeping, you may find they are prone to illness more frequently. This trait can lead to issues in school.

Children between the ages of 2 and 7 typically need between 10 and 12 hours of sleep. Here's some simple and easy ways to ensure they get a sound and undisturbed night’s sleep. 

How?

1. Let’s get the obvious one out the way first. Any electronic devices like phones or tablets should be left outside the room. The artificial glare of a screen prohibits your child from relaxing and, if we’re being honest, it’s a huge distraction. 
2. Following on from the first point, it is a wise idea to ensure that child focus is away from screens at least an hour before they should be going to sleep. 
3. If you are able to dim lights or turn on a softer sidelight in the bedroom, this tends to lead to the body reacting and recognizing that the softer light is an indication to relax and slow down producing the sleep chemical Melatonin. In other words, let the lights tell them when it's baby bedtime. 
4. Reading before bed has a number of benefits. For young learners, it is a good way to how to improve graves via their reading skills. A second and more relevant point, breaking a mental sweat by reading tends to wear children out effectively and make their bodies crave rest and sleep. 

If you found the information in this blog useful then why not check out some of our other informative pieces in the blog area of our website. 

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