Christmas is a time when children are often out of their usual routine. They probably stay up later, do not nap at their regular times, and eat more sweet things than normal. Now that the Christmas holidays are over, getting your little one back into a great routine, including lots of sleep, is essential. Below, I have listed some points to help you achieve this.
- Start by making sure your little one is awake at their usual time.
It may seem crazy to wake a baby or child up in the morning if they haven’t slept well or been up at night. However, you have to start to get their circadian rhythms (internal body clocks) back to normal, so you have to start somewhere, and if your little one has got used to going to bed later during the Christmas holidays, their bodies will not be ready to go to bed earlier.
- Prioritise naps
No matter what happens during the day, cancel it to ensure your little one gets back to napping at an age-appropriate time. Naps during the day always impact overnight sleep, so ensure your baby/child gets the right amount of sleep.
- Keep bedtime to the same time each night.
It is essential to ensure that your little one’s bedtime stays consistent as babies’ and children’s circadian rhythms are much more challenging to get back on track than adults, so it’s vital that you get back to their usual bedtime as soon as you can.
- Fresh air and exercise
The more fresh air and exercise your little one gets, the more receptive they will be to going to sleep. If an infant or child has been cooped up in the house all day, they will have excess energy they need to expend, which can result in hyperactivity at bedtime. No matter what the weather, get them outside as much as possible.
- Be consistent
A consistent approach to your child’s sleep will benefit you all in the long run. When children are overtired, their bodies release cortisol and adrenaline to keep them going, which can cause them to become hyperactive or misbehave.
