Putting children to sleep, children's sleep, babies sleep

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Children are often the reason why many parents do not sleep well, and often the children themselves are sleep deprived. Lack of sleep can cause health problems, so parents can follow certain simple techniques to make their children sleep properly and also sleep well themselves.

1. The child should follow a fixed bedtime routine at night. They should eat their last meal, brush their teeth and get into bed at the same. The child should be relaxed . There should no TV or any disturbance nearby which will stimulate the child's mind. Lights should be dimmed or switched off , since bright lights make falling asleep difficult.

2. When the child is feeling drowsy, the child should be immediately put to bed . Any delay beyond the ideal sleep time usually makes it even more difficult for the child to sleep. Every child feels sleepy at a different time. A sleepy child is usually mentally less alert and physically tired. The parent should ensure that the child completes the bedtime routine before the child feels sleepy, so that the child falls asleep within 15 minutes of getting into bed.

3. The child should associate beds with sleep and fall asleep everyday in the bed. If the child falls asleep in front of the TV and is then moved to a bed , he is likely to wake up in the middle of the night.

4. There should be no disturbance or noise at night from TVs or loud talking. We sleep in stages, alternating between deep sleep and REM sleep (light sleep). If there is any disturbance in the environment, a child in the light sleep phase will wake up in the middle of the night.

5. There should be no excuse for waking up at night like lack of water. A bottle of water should be kept near the child's bed. However, eating food at night after brushing teeth may cause tooth decay. A heavy dinner will usually make a child drowsy.

6. A tired child falls asleep quickly, so ensures that the child take part in games and physical activities for several hours a day. If the child sleeps during the day, he might find it difficult to sleep at night.

For most children, lack of sleep is caused by poor sleep habits, but in some cases, it may be due to a medical problem like sleep apnea due to tonsils. In such cases it is better to consult a doctor.