How to set up your child’s room to promote sleep and our top tips for better sleep

At Delightful Dreamers, we love to talk about optimizing sleep. 

One of the ways we do this is by setting up the sleep environment so that it truly promotes sleep. Keep reading to find out the ways we recommend setting up your child’s bedroom to promote sleep and all of our top tips for better sleep.

Where should your child sleep?

First, for newborns and infants we recommend following the AAP guidelines of room sharing for at least the first six months of life. The AAP recommends this as having your baby nearby while they are sleeping has been related with decreasing the risk of SIDS. Personally, I also think it is easier to have your baby close by for taking care of them during the night.

You could have your baby sleep in a bassinet, a pack and play, or you could set the crib up right in your room if it fits.

For older babies and toddlers who are in their own rooms, I always encourage parents to keep their child in their crib for as long as possible. Once they’ve started climbing out of their crib, they are getting too big for it, or you are night time potty training, it’s usually time to transition to a bed. 

It’s up to each family as to if they want to transition to a toddler bed first or go straight to a “big kid” bed. Some cribs are convertible and have options to be adjusted into a toddler bed and then a full sized bed. These can be a nice option if you aren’t planning on reusing your crib.

So, now that we’ve talked about where your child should sleep, let’s talk about how to optimize their environment.

Temperature

The ideal temperature for sleep is between 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit. You don’t want your child to get too hot or too cold while they are sleeping, as these are reasons that could cause them to wake up. 

Of course, this isn’t always possible depending on your climate but it is good to be aware of. When it’s hot, you can use a fan. I don’t recommend having the fan blow directly on your child in case it causes them to get too cold. Did you know our body temperature changes as we sleep, and we tend to get cooler as the night goes on? 

For infants, the general rule of thumb is to dress them with no more than one extra layer than an adult would wear to be comfortable. You don’t want to put a hat on your baby for sleep. That can put them at risk for overheating and it can also become dangerous if it moves while they are sleeping and covers their face. You also don’t want to use blankets before your baby is one year old. If you think your baby is cold, it is safest to use a wearable blanket like a sleep sack.

Light

During sleep times, we want to keep the room dark. Our circadian rhythm, which helps regulate our sleep, is very sensitive to light. When we wake up in the morning we want to be exposed to the natural bright light. Before we go to bed, the lights should be dimmed and then totally dark for sleep. 

One way to help with this is to use black out shades. There are lots of different options for black out shades. Ideally the ones you use will make the room dark enough that you can’t see your hand when you hold it in front of your face. I’ve found that even with the best black out shades, light can still sneak in along the top or sides of the windows. If you find this happens, you can use materials such as cardboard, tin foil, or black trash bags to block out the light. These options may not be the prettiest, but they definitely work. 

As for night lights, babies really don’t need them. Babies don’t have a natural fear of the dark. If you are using a night light, choose one that is dim and avoid any blue lights as blue light has been found to have the greatest impact on sleep and our circadian rhythm. Red light has been found to have no impact, so if possible you could try using a lightbulb with a red tint.

Sound

Your first instinct may be to have your child’s sleep space totally silent. While this may work for some of us, I do recommend the use of white noise during sleep. White noise can be soothing for many babies and children. An added bonus is that white noise can also block out environmental sounds or sounds around the home that could disturb sleep. 

You don’t want white noise to be too loud. The general recommendation is to have white noise no louder than 50 decibels. There are apps available you can download to check how many decibels your sound machine is. I also generally recommend placing the white noise machine on the other side of the room from wherever your baby is sleeping.

Keeping it for Sleep

Ideally, your child’s bedroom is just used for sleep. This is especially helpful as they get older and make the transition to a toddler bed. If they have toys in their room, they are going to be more likely to get out of bed to play. Having the room be calming and not too stimulating can be helpful in promoting sleep. Also, not using the bed or crib as a place of punishment so that your child does not make negative associations with their sleep space.

Safety

This isn’t directly related to the sleep environment, but I always like to think about safety for our children. Especially once they are out of their cribs, it is important for their rooms to be child proofed. Think about what your child could get into. It may be time to add the outlet protectors if you haven’t already, and make sure any cords or wires are out of reach. 

Also, it is good to have their furniture is anchored so that it can’t tip over on them. Also, make sure there are gates on any staircases near their rooms. We want our children’s rooms, and the areas around their rooms, to be safe in case they decide to leave their bed and explore while we are still sleeping.

More tips for better sleep

Having a Consistent Bedtime Routine

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know that I am a fan of bedtime routines. Having a consistent, calming bedtime routine can help our bodies know that it is time for sleep. Bedtime routines can also be a nice time to connect with our children. With toddlers and bigger kids, the consistency can help limit bedtime battles. 

Limit Screen Time

Too much screen time can negatively impact our children’s sleep. The AAP guidelines suggest no screen time aside from video calls for children younger than 18 months and limiting screen time to an hour for ages 2-5. Having screen time too close to bedtime can be stimulating in that the content can be exciting but also the screens give off that blue light that can affect our circadian rhythms. 

Physical Activity

Our little ones have a lot of energy! They really need opportunities for physical activity during the day. Even as babies, they need to have opportunities for tummy time and practicing whatever skills they are working on. This could include reaching for toys, rolling, sitting and so on. 

If you have a toddler or a preschooler, you know how active they can be. Making sure they get a chance to run around and move their bodies during the day can help them get better sleep. If you can’t get outside, activities like having a dance party, making an indoor obstacle course with pillows, or doing a kids yoga class on youtube (we love Cosmic Kids Yoga) can all be good options.

Nutrition

Have you tried to sleep when you are hungry? It makes it really hard to fall asleep and stay asleep, and this is true for our kids too. We want to make sure our kids are getting adequate nutrition throughout their day. Bedtime snacks can be an option when needed. 

For babies, of course it is normal for them to wake up for feedings during the night and many babies will wake up at least once throughout their first year. 

I always recommend discussing nutrition with your pediatrician if you have any concerns, as I am not a nutritionist. There are some basic tips though, like avoiding foods and drinks that are high in sugar or contain caffeine as these can both impact sleep. I was surprised when I learned that some yogurts can contain caffeine, so it’s always good to take this into consideration if your child is having sleep disturbances.

Now you know our top tips for better sleep!

These are all of our main tips for better sleep. There’s a lot of information here, so don’t feel like you need to make a bunch of changes all at once. I always look at what is going on, what’s the concern, and do we need to make adjustments in any of the above areas. If you are happy with your child’s sleep but you aren’t following all of the tips above, that is okay! I wouldn’t suggest changing something unless you are experiencing a problem or some sort of struggle around sleep.

If you want to talk through some of these things or you aren’t sure where to start, book your free discovery call and let’s chat! 

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/emres/longhourstraining/color.html