Did you create a sleep routine? If you just read this and said no, you might not be aware of the routine you created. Research suggests that our sleep routines and habits are created when we are children by the time we are around seven years old. But have no fear: you still have plenty of time to create a sleep routine. There are lots of benefits to create routines in our life, but research shows that a sleep routine matters to your overall health. The sleep routine you establish will help you with better rest and overall enjoyment of your day to day. In our household, we started a sleep routine when we found that both of us were eating late, going to sleep even later and then having to get up and function. So we implemented a 9:30 in bed with nighttime tea and reading time. Most nights we have been able to establish this routine because we eat dinner on our way home from the gym and are ready for bed.
Why Sleep Routines Matter
Sleep routines need to be a consistent balance for your brain to understand how to rest.
For children, a routine for sleep creates safety and comfort. You are able to create a soothing place for your children.
Sleep routines can help increase an overall healthy mood and behavior, they can help reduce or decrease meltdowns and tantrums that can occur with children.
Aim to follow your sleep routine about 80% of the time, leaving 20% for exceptions to your schedule.
Your sleep routine should start with the same bedtime and wake up time every day. Yes, this includes your weekend. This helps your body create a better internal clock.
Sleep routines help to create the time needed for rest and as an adult about 8 hours in a 24-hour period is sufficient, but this is not true for newborns to teens. Newborns (0 – 3 months old) need 14 – 17 hours; infants (4 – 11 months old) need 12 – 15 hours; toddlers (1 – 2 year old) need 11 – 14 hours; preschoolers (3-5 years old) need 10-13 hours; school age (6-13 years old) need 9 – 11 hours; and teens (14-17 years old) need 8 – 10 hours of sleep. These hours can be put into naps, but having a solid night rest is very beneficial for children.
Ways to Create a Sleep Routine
As you approach the evening hours limit the caffeine intake and limit your alcohol consumption as both of these consumptions will interrupt your body’s natural patterns.
If you are eating close to bedtime, only have a light snack, you really want to limit heavy meals to at least 2 hours before bedtime.
Empty your brain of any thoughts from the day by taking five minutes to write it all out in a journal and close those spaces each night.
Are you active? Exercising at least 30 minutes a couple of times each week will help create rest.
Screen-time limitations for everyone help! Create a family docking station for all devices to be plugged in and left outside of the bedrooms. This will help keep you off your phone at those odd hours of the night you might wake up and want to mindlessly scroll, but this blue light really hurts your sleeping patterns. About 1 to 2 hours before bedtime TVs, computers, and electronics should be turned off for creating a better sleeping routine.
Soothing routines for ourselves and children are both important. You can do this through bath/shower time, brushing teeth, potty time, starting your diffuser (I love to have lavender or stress away in our diffuser each night that is also a humidifier), pick your favorite pajamas, have a short soothing yoga routine, read – let your children pick their favorite books or you pick your favorite books, and boom you have created your perfect environment for your brain to tune into it is time to go to sleep!
Creating Your Sleep Space
Start by removing TVs from your bedrooms or any devices that create an extra light.
Let pets sleep in a crate to give you all spaces to rest.
Children in their rooms for their own independence and help them get long nights of sleep that isn’t interrupted by others.
Keep your home cool. According to research, 68 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal sleeping temperature.
During the holidays you might need to take your environment with you such as a noise machine, favorite bedtime stories, eye mask, diffusers, pillow, or a specific blanket.
Enjoy a calming activity before you go to bed!
As you can see bedtime routines can be simple or complex — but it’s important that you pick the perfect bedtime routine for you and your family.