How to help children sleep better?

Today is World Sleep Day and an opportunity to remind people of the importance for good sleep on our health. There are many benefits of a healthy sleep routine; these include increased physical recovery, mental cognition, stress reduction, positive head space and better immunity.  

Some children do struggle with sleep and this can then lead to disrupted routines, tiredness, brain fog, poor mood, mental health issues and a weaker immune system.  

To help children struggling with their sleep we have found that creating a “sleep box” helps build healthy routines during the evening that lead to them feeling in control. In our experience this has really helped the young people improve their sleep and has positivity transformed their mood and routines. Decorating a box to put these items in is clever way to get a young person interested and invested in using the items. 

What should you include in the box?: 

– Lavender Sleep spray 
– Bubble bath and/or salts  
– A book 

These items help create a calm & constant routine to de-stress and wind down before bedtime.  

Along with these items and calm routine we find doing some breathing exercises once in bed can really help with sleep quality and sleep duration. Below is a clip that demonstrates some breathing techniques that can be used. 

Box breathing relaxation technique: how to calm feelings of stress or anxiety