If you have children, the chances are you will know that getting them to bed is never as straight forward or as simple as it might first seem. The potential arduous task does not usually go the way you would like it to. The plan usually goes; get your little one to climb up their Thuka high sleeper bed, make sure they have everything they might need; and then hope they drift off. However, this is not always the case. 

Getting your little ones to bed can produce many problems and if not handled correctly, it can give you a real headache. 

At UK Bedstore, we value you and your children’s sleep. As such, we have constructed a checklist to ensure that your little ones get to bed on time and don’t give you the aforementioned headache. 

Avoid Caffeine Related Products

For most adults, caffeine consumption seems to be an integral part of everyday life. In fact, to many it can seem essential to our functionality and we feel like we need this energy as we get older. However, there is more than a good argument to be had for them to limit, or cut out completely, their consumption of caffeine. 

While many children or teenagers do not drink coffee or tea on a regular basis, caffeine related products such as coke or energy drinks are quickly creeping into their diets. Excess consumption of caffeine at a younger age can produce many potentially harmful health problems. One such adverse effect is the direct effect on their sleep. 

If your child or teenager consumes a lot of caffeine, they might develop various sleep problems. We would recommend either cutting out or severely limiting the amount of caffeine they consume on a daily basis. 

Keep Older Children’s Naps Short

When your child is younger than 3 years old, frequent long naps is never a problem. However, as they get older you will want to make sure their naps are not too long. 

It is very tempting to let your child climb into their mid sleeper bed and sleep for an hour or two. But most experts advise that the optimal time for a nap is between 15-20 minutes. This is because the longer you sleep the deeper the sleep becomes making it increasingly harder to wake up from. This means that later you might struggle to get shut eye during the night time. 

Ensure You Have The Correct Bed

When it comes to making that all important bed purchase, you of course will want to compliment comfort and functionality and not just pure aesthetic. For example; a deluxe upholstered bed might look amazing and be the perfect fit for you but it won’t be the best fit for your little ones. 

There are many great bedding options for children. Some of the fantastic brands that cater for children we have at UK Bedstore include the delight Thuka collection. The Thuka collection includes style and funky bedding options that offer unbelievable comfort for your little ones as well as not compromising on style. 

Another potentially great option for your little ones is the all encompassing day beds. Day beds offer a sense of practicality as well as enabling maximum comfort for your little ones. When it comes to purchasing day beds; you will notice they are not usually a full size bed but this does not normally matter as your little one does not need an overabundance of room. 

Turn Off Screens At Least 2 Hours Before Bed

In many of our previous blogs, we have covered some of the many benefits of turning off screens and devices before bed. And this remains especially true for younger children. 

Studies have shown that if your child is playing video games, watching television or performing another activity which involves screen time; they will be kept up an extra 30 to 60 minutes. The blue light emitted by screens can interfere with the retina making it significantly harder to produce the hormone melatonin and subsequently fall asleep. 

We would suggest trying to make your child’s bedroom a screen free zone and at least 2 hours before bedtime.

Establish A Set Bedtime

Younger children should have a set bedtime regardless of the circumstances. But when it comes to getting your little ones to bed, establishing a bedtime routine is even more paramount. 

When you are younger, you establish habits and routines which become commonplace as you start your journey into adulthood. So setting a bedtime routine will help you get to sleep faster and more effectively. 

Address Your Little One’s Fears

If you ever had any fears as a child (statistically it is very likely that you did), then you will know it can be increasingly difficult to go to bed when you have different anxieties and worries on your mind. 

It is estimated that in the UK alone, almost 75% of children are scared of the dark. Accompanying this is the fact that your child might have a plethora of other fears. These fears can include: being scared of hypothetical monsters, nervous to sleep alone or fearing for the general security of the home. 

Your best bet to get your little ones to sleep is helping to alleviate these fears. Afterall, they will not be all of the anxiety going around in their head. 

As their parent, you are best addressing the issue in question. Be it reinforcing the idea that imagery monsters are not real or; if they are scared of the dark, maybe provide them with a night light. Your children will no longer lose sleep to irrational fears. 

Keep The Room Cool

It might seem pretty obvious to keep the room dark to help your child sleep, however; did you know you should also keep their room cool as this helps them sleep. 

As you might already know, it can be extremely frustrating if you are trying to go to sleep but, no matter how hard you try; you can’t go to sleep because you are too warm. Well this remains even more true for your little ones. 

In fact, many studies have found that your child sleeping in a cool environment has many other fantastic health benefits beyond just helping them to fall asleep. 

Read Them A Story

We finish with arguably the most obvious and traditional technique to try and get your children to bed. We are obviously referring to reading your little one a story before bed. 

The intention of reading your child a story before bed is to spark imagination and, more importantly, help them relax. As such, the perfect bedtime story should be a family friendly tale filled with imaginative and complex characters. 

Do You Have A Children’s Bed Enquiry 

At UK Bedstore, we supply some of the very best children’s beds. Whether you are looking for luxury bunk beds or kids mid sleeper beds, which offer a fantastic potential storage solution; we are sure we will have something to suit you.