Strategies To Support Healthy Sleep

The Importance Of A Good Night's Sleep

Sleep supports both physical and mental wellbeing. People are more able to take part in their day-to-day activities successfully when they are better rested. Following a good night’s sleep, we are more alert and are better able to concentrate and learn, we also experience less anxiety and present with better emotional regulation.

Our Night Reflects Our Day

Our daytime routines and habits all influence our sleeping habits and can affect the quality of our sleep. It is important to:

Get outdoors

Our bodies need exposure to sunlight in order to “set our body clock” by helping to create melatonin.

Move our bodies

Physical activity helps us to manage stress and improves the quality of our sleep.

Eat a healthy diet

Eating healthily also promotes sleep quality by negating digestive issues.

Avoid daytime napping

Long daytime naps can negatively affect sleeping habits and generally long naps should be avoided, especially if they are up to 4 hours prior to bedtime.

The Best Sleep Environment

The sleep environment can have a big influence on falling asleep and staying asleep. The following considerations should be made

Lighting

Use room darkening shades/blinds over bright windows, use a night light with a warm glow.

Reduce visual clutter

Organise belongings, or store them in another room. Decorate with soft, muted colours.

Think sensory

Use calming scents such as lavender during bath time, turn down the lights/close the curtains in the room, try playing soft, rhythmic music or white noise and use preferred textures for bedding/nightwear.

Temperature

Try to keep room temperature to a comfortable level (optimum around 18 degrees)

Evening Routine Tips

Introducing a ‘wind down’ period of relaxing activities will help the transition to sleep.

Be consistent

Keep the order and timing the same each night; avoid extending the routine. Try to stick to this as much as possible, avoiding too big a change at weekends.

Avoid screen time

At least one hour before bed, stop using blue light emitting devices such as: tablets, mobile phones, computers, and televisions. These can keep people awake for longer.

Avoid drink/food that has caffeine or sugar

Both caffeine and sugar can negatively impact sleep. A calming drink and/or snack is more beneficial in the evening, such as herbal tea and a piece of toast.

Use calming activities

What does the child/young person find calming? Activities such as colouring, drawing, sewing, crochet are often cited as calming activities. Additionally, slow and gentle proprioceptive activities (resistive muscle work) can have a calming effect on the nervous system and be beneficial as part of evening routines. Some ideas: Firm cuddles with parents/carers/teddy, tightly wrapping arms around themselves and crossing legs, superman pose, wall push or wall sit, hold plank, curl up into a ball.

Night Time & Sleep Independence

If a young person wakes in the night, it can be helpful for them to use familiar positive associations to help them to fall back to sleep without a parent or carer’s support. Examples include, a favourite blanket, a toy or even their preferred calming music.

Bedtime Routine Example

1. Turn off electronic devices at least one hour before bed
2. Engage in an activity to help calm, e.g. reading, drawing/colouring, cuddles
3. Evening drink and snack
4. Bath/wash, teeth, toilet
5. Get into bed (listen to music, story)
6. Turn the lights off

Children's Mental Health Advice & Support

For more useful resources like this, download our Children's Mental Heath Support Pack.