The Children’s Sleep Charity are delighted to be taking part in National Children’s Day on Sunday 15th May. The day is all about the importance of a healthy childhood and we know just how important a good night’s sleep is to support wellbeing.
It is estimated that around 40% of children will at some time have a sleep issue. Sleep deprivation impacts on their emotional, physical and mental wellbeing. Establishing a good bedtime routine can be helpful in improving sleep issues.
We are therefore actively encouraging parents to share positive family time with their children in the hour leading up to bedtime. Starting on Monday 9th May the charity will be using social media to share ideas about how bedtime can be positive and the kind of activities that may help to support a better night’s sleep.
Families are being asked to share a bedtime story each night with their children as part of the campaign. Bedtime stories can provide a perfect ending to the day. Some families do read to their children routinely for others it is something that has never happened. We are taking part in National Children’s Day and hope that if we can encourage families to read a story each night for a week that it will become routine. There are so many benefits to sharing bedtime stories, not only around improving sleep patterns.
Ditching the iPad in favour of a book is not only a more sociable activity but also can help children to fall asleep more easily. The light omitted from screen activities can supress the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Parents often worry about how a child will entertain themselves once the screen time is ended, the charity will be providing lots of ideas to help to fill the void!
Reading to your child can create a wonderful bond and memories that will last a lifetime. Family life can be hectic, setting aside ten minutes at the end of each day to snuggle up with a book can help to strengthen the bond. Aside from the benefits for sleep bedtime stories can help children to develop their vocabulary and imagination. Books provide a basis for talking about issues as you see the story line progress. Sharing books with an adult can also help them to develop a love of books
