Supporting sleep through optimizing sleep hygiene
Simple environmental and routine changes can have a powerful effect on sleep. In our busy, overscheduled, modern lives, it’s easy to forget that modern life wasn’t designed around supporting healthy sleep. Being more intentional about your environment and routines can have a positive affect on sleep quality. These ideas work well for babies and toddlers, and many can positively support parental sleep as well.
What is sleep hygiene?
Sleep hygiene is our sleep environment, behaviors, and daily patterns that promote good quality sleep. It’s not just what happens in the evening, however. Your whole 24 hours contributes to how well you and your little one sleep at night.
Here is a sleep hygiene checklist to help you cover the basics. Which elements have the largest impact on sleep varies from person to person. Don’t get caught up in trying to be perfect. Pick a few ideas to get started and build from there.
Get outside every day and bring lots of natural light into your home.
Have a roughly regular morning wake up and bedtime sleep time each day. For babies under 6 months this may not be possible and that is ok.
Keep naps in natural light and normal household noises.
Space naps well throughout the day, guided by your child’s cues.
Try to make awake time dynamic with high energy play (lots of floor and tummy play time for younger babies and lots of big body active play for older babies and toddlers), as well as calmer periods to let them recharge.
Give baby an opportunity to calm down before naps as well as bedtime. It’s hard to go from high energy to relaxed for sleep without a calming transition.
Dim lights in the hour before nighttime sleep to trigger the body to produce melatonin. Pick warmer, softer light sources if you can’t actually dim your lights. If baby does not have a regular bedtime yet, pick a regular time in the evening to begin using less light.
No screen time in the 1-2 hours before sleep.
Create a predictable, relaxing pre-sleep routine.
Manage worry, stress, and anxiety (yours and your child’s).
Keep the sleep space a comfortable temperature and humidity level. Humans generally sleep better in cooler environments (think somewhere in the 60s). Consider a humidifier if the air is dry.
Pick pajamas that are comfortable and temperature appropriate. Try adding in socks if your child tends to get cold.
Keep the sleep space dark overnight. If you need a light, a red colored night light is a good option.
Many families find white noise to be a helpful tool. Be mindful that you are keeping it at a comfortable volume.
In the morning, let plenty of light in to cue the body that it’s daytime.
Support positive, connection focused associations with their sleep space.
A calming, more minimalist room may support sleep better than a stimulating, bright, or cluttered room.
Sleep hygiene for infants
Note: Babies under 3 months do not have an established circadian rhythm. Environmental cues can help baby sort out day from night while their circadian rhythm develops. Making a clear difference between a dark, calm nighttime and a light filled, normal activity level day will help them start to sort days from nights. This difference is important whether baby is awake or asleep. Meaning, daytime sleep is best in the light, and nighttime should be dark even if baby is awake. Going outside every day also supports their developing circadian rhythm.
Optimizing your sleep Hygiene is a great way to support healthy sleep for your whole family.
If you want help digging deeper to create optimal sleep environments, routines, and daily patterns for your family, schedule a free intro call so we can talk about how I can help.