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What is a Good Bed Time?
Every child is different. Even in the same family, kids can be exact opposites. So, what is a good bed time for your child? Experts recommend that children between five and twelve need nearly eleven hours of sleep to be at their best. Most children in that age group get nine hours or less. Teens need at least nine hours of sleep each night.
People, of all ages, sleep better if they have an established routine that is followed each night before going to bed. This is especially true of children. Routines will help children relax so they can fall to sleep easier.
What time is a good bedtime for your child? Actually, your child’s doctor will be able to determine the best time for your child to go to sleep. They will be able to tell you how much sleep would give them the most restorative benefits.
Based upon the doctor’s recommendations, determine the amount of sleep your child needs each day. If they are very young, they may get some of their required sleep in at naptime. If they have started first grade, they may not get a naptime. Do you know how to tell if they haven’t had enough sleep? If they fall asleep in the car, you have to wake them in the morning, they stay up late, they’re unusually cranky during the day, or they rub their eyes a lot, they may not be getting enough sleep.
Limit the amount of sugar and caffeine your child eats before bedtime. Sugary drinks or snacks will cause the child not to sleep, rather than help them get to sleep. Another thing to avoid close to bedtime is video games and high action television programs. There have been numerous studies showing the sleep patterns of children have been impaired due to video games close to bedtime.
Establish a routine that will help your child unwind – bathing, brushing their teeth, reading a story, or doing another quiet activity should help relax your child and ease them into sleep. If possible, follow your child’s cues. Teach them to recognize those cues as well so they will be able to go to bed without having to be told. Set a specific time in which your child should be in bed. If they have to be up by 7:00 a.m. and they’re young, they’ll need to be in bed ready to sleep no later than 7:00 p.m. If they’re older, they may be able to stay up a little past 8:00 p.m., but not much.
How do you know what is a good bedtime for your child? Try to encourage them to get at least ten hours of sleep a night. They may not always make that amount, but when they get more sleep they will feel so much better.
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