It’s bedtime, something most kids dread and parents can’t wait for. But how do you get your child to go to sleep when he is wide awake? You need to back up an hour or two into your evening and determine what is making your child so alert that he can’t sleep.

Food and sleep

Let’s look at the type of snacks your child is eating or drinking during the evening. Any snack that is high in sugar or carbohydrates is going to give your child a burst of energy and prevent him from falling asleep easily until the sugar high wears off.

Caffeine is another no-no close to bed time. In reality it is detrimental to your child’s healthy development to have caffeine at all, as it releases the sugar that is stored in the liver causing his body to crave more sugar to replace it.

Caffeine also raises your child’s level of adrenaline and stimulates his nervous system and other major body systems which is the exact opposite of what should be happening when he is going to sleep. Even if he does go to sleep he will not be relaxed and won’t sleep as soundly.

Foods high in Tryptophan such as dairy products, whole grains, sunflower seeds or peanut butter are great for bedtime snacks. Tryptophan is a precursor of the sleep-inducing substances serotonin and melatonin. This means tryptophan is the raw material that the brain uses to build these relaxing neurotransmitters.

You can still serve your child milk and cookies for a bedtimes snack, just make it oatmeal cookies, or try a peanut butter sandwich. Whole grain cereal and milk are also a good source of Tryptophan. It takes about an hour for the Tryptophan to start working to relax your child, so time their snack accordingly.

Relaxing to sleep

Just like most adults, children have a hard time unwinding and calming themselves in order to go to sleep quickly. That is why things like reading your child a book at bedtime, having him sit on the couch with you for a few minutes to watch TV or even just sitting by his bed and talking to him will help calm him down and get him to sleep fast.

Giving your child a nice warm bath with lavender oil in it will help get him ready for bedtime. Lavender is a natural relaxing aroma, with is why it is so widely used in bath products for all ages. The warm bath will relax your child’s muscles and the lavender will relax his mind and emotions.

You can also put lavender essential oil in a cool water mister in your child’s room or sprinkle lavender essential oil on his pillow at night. If you don’t like the scent of lavender, peppermint is another scent with calming properties.

Routines for sleep

Children are creatures of habit just like the rest of us. They are more comfortable and relaxed when they have a routine. If you find a bedtime routine that works stick with it, children like to know what comes next. Having a routine will help you avoid stress at bedtime and thus give you a calmer child to try and get to sleep.

Sleep is so important for your child’s emotional and physical development, so you need to do all you can to make sure he gets the right amount of sleep each night. Getting him to bed on time, the first time, every night will help ensure he is getting enough sleep and give you a happier, well rested child to live with during the day.