Discover 5 top tips for ensuring your child can rest in an ideal sleep environment

The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that sleep problems affect 25 to 50 per cent of children. Your child’s sleep environment is crucial to their well-being and sleep quality. From investing in comfy kids’ pyjamas to keeping their sleep space tech-free, read our five tips for creating the perfect sleep environment.

Comfort is Key

Be Tech-Free

Limit the Light

Keep the Sound Soothing

Minimise Stimulation

Comfort is Key

Comfort is key to a good night's sleep. This applies to everyone, especially children, who often struggle to switch off and calm down before bedtime. Ensuring your child wears comfy kids’ pyjamas can make a significant difference. Consider the following:

• Suitable Style: Children’s pyjamas should suit the room temperature.

• In cooler weather, longer sleeves and thicker fabrics ensure they are nice and cosy - like our Unisex Long Sleeve Pyjama Set. 
• In warmer weather, go for kid’s pyjamas offering short sleeves and lighter materials to keep them cool, like our Unisex Short Sleeve Pyjama Set. Our blog post about why material matters when choosing children’s pyjamas goes into more depth about the importance of this.

• Ideal Room Temperature: The Sleep Charity recommends maintaining the room at around 16-18 degrees Celsius (64.4 degrees Fahrenheit) for optimal sleep. Anything above can cause discomfort, while anything below can make it difficult for them to fall asleep. Adjust the thickness and style of bedding and ensure your child is dressed in comfy kids’ pyjamas to keep them comfortable throughout the night.

By prioritising comfort, you can help your child feel secure and snug in their sleep environment.

Be Tech-Free

Keeping technology within reach at bedtime can significantly disrupt sleep quality as it often serves as a distraction. To create an ideal sleep space:

• Make the Bedroom a Screen-Free Zone: Electronic devices like televisions, laptops, and mobile phones emit blue light, which can suppress melatonin production and make it harder for your child to fall asleep. Devices can also be tempting if left in the bedroom once children are tucked up in bed, so screens are best left downstairs out of reach. Encouraging tech-free zones also helps your child associate their bedroom with rest and relaxation rather than stimulation and activity.

Limit the Light

Light exposure plays a pivotal role in regulating our sleep cycles, particularly for children. Generally, letting in less light is more effective for sleep; however, this can vary depending on personal preferences and sleep habits. Either way, a properly lit room can be a game-changer for consistent slumber. You can achieve this through:

• Implementing Blackout Curtains: The environment outside is one thing you have little control over when it comes to your child’s bedtime. Whatever their bedtime, life continues outside their window. Blackout curtains are great for blocking out light, creating a dark and soothing atmosphere conducive to sleep. They are especially useful if your child's bedtime is before sunset or streetlights shine outside their room through the night.
  
  
• Opt for a Night Light: If your child is uncomfortable with darkness, perhaps you could consider a night light. Night lights that emit a soft, warm glow are preferable to a bright, blue-toned light - which can disrupt melatonin production and sleep quality. Monitoring and adjusting the light levels in your child's room can help their mind and body recognise when it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep.

Keep the Sound Soothing

Creating a tranquil auditory environment can help your child relax and drift off to sleep more easily. To introduce soothing sounds into their sleep space:

• Try introducing a Sound Machine: Sound machines emit calming noises like white noise, gentle rain, or ocean waves. These sounds can cancel out background noise and create a consistent auditory environment that helps your child drift off to sleep.

Experimenting with different sounds allows you to discover which style your child finds most soothing, ensuring a peaceful and undisturbed sleep.

Minimise Stimulation

A calm, clutter-free environment is essential for promoting restful sleep. To minimise stimulation:

• Maintain a Clean, Simple Space: Other than their favourite bedtime buddy (or buddies!), try keeping toys, games, and other stimulating items away from the sleeping area. A tidy, organised room helps reduce anxiety and overstimulation and makes it easier for children to unwind.

In conclusion, to help reduce sleep issues affecting up to 50% of children, achieving the ideal sleep space for your child involves: 

• Comfort: Ensure a cosy sleep space and selecting suitable pyjamas.
• Temperature: Maintain the room temperature at 16-18°C, with bedding and pyjama material and thickness adjusted accordingly.
• Tech-Free: Remove screens from the bedroom to avoid exposure to blue light, which is likely to inhibit sleep quality.
• Light: Implement blackout curtains or blinds and introduce a soft, warm night light to their sleep space.
• Sound: Use a sound machine which plays calming noises to encourage relaxation.
• Stimulation: Keep the sleep area clean and clutter-free, as this can have the same effect on their mind.

Have you implemented any of these steps in their sleep space? Take the first step by browsing our wide range of comfy children’s pyjamas and create a relaxing bedtime routine they look forward to. 

Let us know in the comments below if you have any top tips in creating the ideal sleep environment for kids!