Creating the sleep-friendly bedroom

In order to make your child feel relaxed during bedtime, you may consider making some adaptations and modifications to his/her sleep environment.

Temperature: consider the temperature of the room and what temperature your child seems to seek out during the day; adjust the temperature, bedding and sleep clothes accordingly in order to ensure that your child does not feel too hot or too cold.

Bedding & sleep clothes: An aspect of bedding and sleep clothes to consider is its texture, some textures may relax or arouse your child, as well as the fit of the clothes and pressure created by the bedding. Sleep clothes should not be too loose or too tight and an optimum level of pressure should be created by the bedding for maximum comfort. Also, a comfortable mattress is crucial for maximizing your child’s sleep quality.

Sounds & lighting: the noise that your child may be exposed to during sleep time play an important role in his/her sleep quality. Your child may be particularly sensitive to audible noise that other members of your household do not notice; consider creating white noise (e.g. a fan, air filter, or soft music) that plays continuously throughout sleep time in order to mask other noise and create a consistent, soothing background noise. The lighting in your child’s bedroom may also impact on his/her sleep. Consider creating a dark room with no distracting visual stimuli or providing a night-light depending on your child’s needs. Sounds and lighting must be consistent and not subject to variation during sleep time.