And so to sleep

By Kate Duggan

Older children and teenagers need around ten hours of sleep a night. Tell that to a hyperactive nine-yearold who’s still bouncing around the house at 11.30pm, declaring that he’s not even slightly tired…

Wind down

Remember the whole ‘bath, warm milk, story, bed’ routine you tried when they were little? A winddown routine still helps now they’re older; you just need to adapt it for their age. Make sure they’ve burned off their energy long before bedtime, and help them to calm their mind with a book, meditation app or calming music before bed.

Fresh air

Children need light, air and exercise to thrive. So do teens. My kids always sleep better after a day at the beach or a run through the woods. Those outings are pretty rare these days, but I try to at least drag them out for a walk a few times a week, or chuck them out into the garden to wear off some energy on the trampoline. It’s easier to get kids to exercise, but teens can be another matter. According to the NHS, teenagers need at least an hour’s exercise every day . Restrictions allowing, you could encourage them to go for a walk with a friend or head out for a bike ride. They could also start a new activity, such as a martial art or dance, even if they just follow an online class to start with.

Cut the screen-time

It’s best to have at least an hour away from screens before bed as the blue light can interfere with sleep. Ideally, keep tablets, phones, TVs and so on out of bedrooms. It’s just too tempting to watch another funny video, answer a message or build another Minecraft creation.

Stick to a routine

Most of enjoy staying up later at the weekend and having a lie in. However, if your child struggles with sleep, it’s best if they stick to a routine – going to bed and getting up at the same time every day.

Keep a diary

Everyone has the occasional bad night’s sleep. But if your child or teen regularly trails into the kitchen bleary-eyed and tetchy, it might be worth keeping a sleep diary. This basically just means noting down what time they fell asleep and woke up, the quality of sleep and anything that might have contributed towards that (e.g. stressed about school, sugary treat after dinner etc.). You can also note how much time they spent outdoors, how much screen time they had, what they ate for dinner and so on. At the end of the month, look back to see if there are any patterns. If there are, it might be time to make some changes.

Do what works for you

You need to do what works best for you and your child. If I know my kids really need an early night, I cuddle up with them in my bed and we all read together. They fall asleep earlier than usual and then I just take them through to their own beds. Many parenting experts would likely be horrified at this suggestion, but it’s what works for us.

For more tips, visit: www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleepand-tiredness.

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