Let’s talk routines… not because it is ‘boring’ (no pun intended), but because it is SO IMPORTANT that having a regular bedtime routine is vital towards better quality sleep in young children up to 6 years of age.

According to research by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, positive impact on sleep increases with the consistency of a nightly routine – leading to a child with better sleep outcomes, including earlier bedtimes, shorter amount of awake time in bed before falling asleep, reduced night wakings, and increased sleep duration.

I’ve come across many clients telling me about their child’s sleep problems, and very often, one of the “culprit” leading to poor sleep is the lack of a bedtime routine, and an inconsistent bedtime. The poor child may be sleeping at 7pm one night, and 10pm another night, and 1am another night L Imagine the confusion and the messed up body clocks the child has to go through…

Why having a routine can work so well with children

Kids thrive on predictability and routine, they need to understand what is expected of them. Repetition and structure give children a sense of security and help them develop self-discipline. For older children, it eliminates power struggles, as they know they’ll have to corporate, and that helps with keeping them on schedule. Having a regular routine teaches them to take charge of their own activities (eg. brush their teeth, change into pyjamas etc) without constant reminders.

Having a bedtime routine also helps your child learn to transition from the busy activity of the day to settling down to sleep at night. This is the key step towards helping them self soothe, relax and falling asleep easily.

I’ll be giving the 5 best practices for a good routine at my next blog, stay tuned!

Not sure how to set a good routine for your child? Contact me for a free 15mins consultation. Email at wingyan@precioussleep.my or call me at +60123542010.