Beating the Bedtime Battle

Whether your child has just started having difficulty going to sleep, or has been a night owl since birth, there are some strategies that can help him, and you, to have more restful nights from now on. The main areas to address are your child's diet, comfort, and bedtime routine.

A healthy, well-nourished child will always have better sleep cycles than a child whose diet is less adequate. Make sure your child is getting foods from all the food groups with sugary and fatty foods being limited to occasional snacks. Some specific diet tips for a good night's sleep are to avoid caffeine foods and sweets after 4:00 pm. A small dessert with dinner is fine, but you don't want ice cream and cola for a bedtime snack. Make sure your child includes a protein food in dinner or evening snack. Have your child stop eating at least an hour before bedtime.

Physical comfort is important to a good night's sleep for anyone, but especially for children. Children should be reasonably clean before bed. A bath may not be necessary every night, but make sure your child's teeth, face, hands and bottom are clean. Whether your child wears superhero jammies or one of dad's old t-shirts, make sure it is soft and comfortable. You don't need a high priced mattress on your child's bed to ensure comfort. Just make sure that the bedding is reasonably smooth with the appropriate amount of covers for the weather. Children generally sleep better with small pillows if they use one at all. Remember if you have an infant younger than six months there should be no pillows or bulky bedding in the crib to reduce risk of SIDS.