Looking forward to spring?!?
You survived the time change but want to encourage better sleep leading into the spring and summer?
More daylight light, fresh air and enjoying more outdoor freedom is merely a few months away (yessssssss).
Here are 3 things that you should start getting in place right now.
LIGHT - Recognize that along with spring comes more sunlight. More sunlight is good! However, light has a HUGE impact on sleep.
So much so, that even the light of a full moon can impact sleep “We know that light, whether artificial or natural — from the moon, or the setting sun — can have a suppressant effect on melatonin”
Light dictates sleep and so dimming lights before sleep and creating blackout conditions during sleep can help produce melatonin (the sleep hormone). It’s also important to keep the room as dark as possible throughout the ENTIRE duration of sleep and especially in the early morning hours.
Any light entering the room in the early hours can trigger the brain to wake up, as light is also a cue that signals our body to wake up in the morning.
So make sure your child gets lots of sunlight during wake full hours and five minutes before a nap and one hour before bedtime dim the lights to help them naturally produce the melatonin they need to fall asleep and stay asleep.
During sleep time, use black-out blinds to ensure there is no light coming in that can disturb sleep.
Here are some great black-out solutions.
ROUTINES- Routines give infants a sense of security and stability. They also help prepare them for sleep.
Maintaining routines even when evenings get busier, whether you are out and about, travelling, and through any change is VERY important. This is one thing that can always stay consistent.
Winding down and preparing for sleep should be the most relaxing part of your day. I get that with babies and toddlers that might not always be the case but if we structure it right and get our little one involved, set boundaries, and stay consistent, it CAN be relaxing! I promise.
As spring approaches, we all get busier and spend more time out of our house routines start to become inconsistent. It’s important that these stay consistent for better sleep and easier bedtimes. Even when not at home you can have a shortened bedtime/nap routine and wind down.
We cannot be expected to go from awake to asleep in one go without winding down. That is impossible and an unrealistic expectation for our little ones.
Naps on the go- Leading into the spring practicing sleeping in a different environment will be KEY!
“When you sleep in unfamiliar surroundings, only half your brain is getting a good night's rest”.
Whether it be naps or night sleep, sleep that is not in a familiar surroundings will always be disturbed and you might not get deep sleep or naps may be short.
Knowing this, all we can do is practice at least one nap on the go. So your baby becomes familiar with sleeping in a different place other than his/her crib. We want them to see the stroller as a familiar surrounding so that they are not confused when you put them in there to nap and end up more distracted by this new place.
If you practice a nap in the stroller you can cover it up with a safe blackout cover and bring your white noise. This will help minimize distractions. Once your baby gets used to this as another place that is safe for sleep, they will have a better chance of achieving some good naps, even if they are not at home. This will help you tremendously in the spring and summer where you might want to get out of the house and not be stuck in nap jail.
The MOST important tip I can provide, however, is that even if you implement all of these three tips or any tips for that matter, if your baby is not rested, is not able to fall asleep independently (over 4 months), and is overtired, sleep-deprived and doesn’t have the sleep skills. Sleep will always be hard.
You want to make sure that your baby is sleeping well BEFORE things get busy, you want to be well-rested (yes you too!) so that you have the energy and mental capacity to ENJOY the spring and summer months.
This is entirely possible and the best time to get a plan together for making that happen. Along with support, I can guarantee you’ll be getting some great sleep and enjoy the new season SOO much more.
If the possibility of being rested feels exciting but you have no idea where to start, then that’s what I’m here for. Let’s have a conversation about what’s going on and see what the best next steps are for you and your family. It’s a free call and no obligation, at the very least you’ll gain clarity on what’s going on and how to take the steps to resolve it. For good.
Look forward to chatting!
Lil. xx
