Struggling with bedtime? Try these child psychologist-approved sleep tips

Expert sleep tips and the must-have product for a calm, consistent bedtime.

By Daniel Wendt MAPS, Child Psychologist at Oracle Psychology

Struggling with bedtime battles? You’re not alone! Many parents find it challenging to get their little ones to settle down for the night.

But the good news is, with a few expert-backed strategies, you can create a smoother, more restful bedtime routine.

Here are some practical sleep tips from a child psychologist to help your child fall asleep faster and wake up refreshed.

Expert tips to help kids sleep soundly

Consistent bedtime routine: Establishing a set bedtime routine helps signal to children that it’s time to wind down. This routine can include activities such as a warm bath, reading a book, and calming music. Consistency is crucial as it creates a sense of security and predictability for children.

Sleep environment: Creating a sleep-conducive environment is essential. This involves ensuring the bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet. Using white noise machines can help mask external sounds and create a soothing atmosphere.

Positive reinforcement: Implementing a reward system for following the bedtime routine can be highly effective. Praise and small incentives can motivate children to stick to their bedtime schedule.

Mindfulness techniques: Teaching children mindfulness and relaxation techniques can help ease bedtime anxiety. Simple practices like deep breathing exercises or guided imagery can promote relaxation and prepare them for sleep.

Limiting screen time: Reducing exposure to screens at least an hour before bedtime is vital. The blue light emitted by devices can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep.

Parents swear by this genius sleep tool – meet Yoto!

Yoto provides a tangible way for parents to set routines and kids to feel in control of their bed-time. 9 out of 10 Yoto families already use their player at bedtime as it has inbuilt features that make the player a great way for newborns to early teens to settle in for the night:

Day-and-night clock: The clock will show the sun during the day and the moon at night.

Nightlight: Tip the Yoto Player onto its face to turn on the nightlight.

Sleep radio: At night, Yoto Radio becomes Sleep Radio. It’s a carefully chosen radio stream that helps your little one drift off at bedtime.

Sleep sounds: A range of free sleep sounds that play on a loop.

Sleep timer: Set your players to stop audio playing at a certain time, or after a certain amount of time.

Sleep cards: Choose from a wide range of sleep-focused Yoto Cards from the store, from sleep sounds, to sleepy stories, to meditation and more.

Button shortcuts: Either side of sleeping, use the right button shortcuts on Yoto player to play different pieces of audio for your daily routines. From Yoto Daily in the morning, to a Toothbrush Timer, you can play them all at the touch of a button. Just make your selections in the Yoto app.