My Top Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Little Ones Sleep
I love this change in season. It’s most definitely my favourite. The lighter and brighter morning and evening, the blue skies, and the rise in temperature. Yes, please. This is also a good time to look at your little ones’ sleep and see if you can make some changes/improvements to complement the change in season.
I’ve shared my top 3 tips when it comes to spring cleaning your little ones’ sleep. These are simple and effective. Like I always say, it’s often smaller tweaks and consistency that make the best/greatest improvement.
Check the darkness in your little ones’ room
The change in weather means that it will get darker later and lighter earlier. This is great for the soul however, when it comes to sleep, it can have some implications. More so in the early hours of the morning. Light is not our friend when trying to stay snoozing. It helps set off our natural “wake up” infrastructure, prompting the release of the hormone cortisol, whose role is to wake us up. I’d recommend going into your little ones’ room during the day, closing all of the curtains/blinds and doors, and see if you can see any light sneaking in. Once/if you find any, get it covered. This will help in reducing any “early morning” wakes caused by light.
Get outside as much as possible
The brighter and mostly drier days allow us to spend more time outdoors, which our circadian rhythms (body clocks) adore. Fresh air and daylight are two powerful tools when it comes to regulating your body clock. Winter often locks us indoors and limits our natural exposure to the outdoors so as soon as you can, start introducing more time outside. You’ll benefit massively from doing this too. My top top tip is to get outside if naps are tough/have gone AWOL. The combo of fresh air and daylight can help “reset” things and promote better sleep for the incoming next nap or bedtime.
Review your bedtime routine
Winter is cozy by nature. Darker settings, quieter surroundings, and just generally helps promote a more “sleepy and calm” environment. Spring brings with it sunshine, brightness, and often more of a social life. All amazing however when it comes to your little one getting the wind down they need before getting the hay, you’ll need to check on a few things. Create a darker and calmer environment wherever you do the bedtime routine. Simple things like closing the curtains a little earlier, dimming any lighting to an amber or very low setting, and removing any stimulation via toys, electronics, and TV. Simple tweaks at bedtime such as these can really help calm your little one and get them bed ready.
