The importance of sleep is to help our body regenerate, stay healthy + maintain peak performance daily. As adults we can (sometimes) power through a day on a little less sleep than we need. For kids, however, sleep is such a crucial part of their development to help with brain growth + creating new neural pathways, managing emotions (i.e. hormone control) + overall good health…especially during cold + flu seasons. Healthy sleep for kids means focusing on their sleep environment, potential disruptions + having a good routine that works for all of you.
As a mom of one challenging sleeper + someone who personally needs at least 7 hours of sleep, I am constantly fine-tuning our sleep routines so that we can all be at the top of our game. And honestly the ones I am concerned about most are the kids. There are a few key areas to address that seem to have really helped improve the quality of my kids’ sleep.
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Creating a Healthy + Comfortable Environment
The biggest impact that promotes overall healthy sleep for kids is their sleeping space. Keeping kids room clean by limiting dust or dust collecting knickknacks + stuffed animals will immediately improve the air quality in their sleep environment. Also be on the lookout for items that contain flame retardants as these chemicals have been linked to everything from thyroid issues to ADHD + lowered IQ. These can be found in things like mattresses + chairs. Check the labels…if they look like this you’re OK.
If they look like this you may want to consider removing the item from the room. These sample labels came from the NRDC.org website.
If the crib mattress contains flame retardants + you’re not in the market for a new one (because can be $$$$) consider picking up an organic cotton mattress cover like this one to help control flame retardant containing dust from being breathed in. If you are wanting to get a new mattress the Naturepedic mattress is the way to go. Here is a link to the crib mattress but they make all different sizes. I would suggest getting a mattress cover for them as well since we know how kids can occasionally have nighttime accidents.
Also, pay extra attention to how your kids are waking up in the morning. Are they sneezing or stuffy? It may be a sign of further dust issues or potential mold growth. Take a peek at the windows + check for any condensation accumulation. Just wiping it dry should help control mold growth. Limiting the number of stuffed animals in the bed has also drastically helped reduce my kids waking completely stuffed up. And if they have stuffy noses during the night that’s just one more thing interrupting sleep.
More Air Quality Offenders
Then there’s the concern of VOCs from off-gassing furniture made with MDF, carpeting that’s releasing formaldehyde, plastic toys, vinyl coverings, flame retardants, in addition to the overall dust accumulation, bacteria, viruses + mold. Gahh! Thinking about all of it can make your head spin! But no need to stress out about it because there is one easy solution to all of those air pollutants + achieve a healthy sleep environment…a reeeallllly good air purifier! Trust me when I say it will be the single best investment you make for creating a healthier environment for you child. It’s something that you will get years of use out of, unlike the beds, toys + decor your kids will outgrow.
These are two of my favorite, top of the line air purifiers. The Austin Air HealthMate Junior Plus would be my ultimate choice since you only have to change the filters every 4-5 years so it makes it incredibly economical. The one we currently have is the Air Doctor air purifier. I like this one because it has an indicator light that tells you the air quality (red for poor, orange for moderate, blue for good) but it does have an ionic option for filtering but I stay away from using it since it can potential produce ozone which is toxic.
Temperature control is also a big factor for getting to + staying asleep. Dressing in lighter pajamas (a little more on that below) + having some layers to the bedding (for older kids) can help them keep comfortable throughout the night. The ideal sleeping temperature is between 62-70 degrees. Your child’s skin should feel cool to the touch but not cold + definitely not sweating.
Lighting + Sound
Healthy sleep for kids also depends on having the right type of lighting + sound. For the longest time I had a humidifier in my oldest’s bedroom that would rotate lights. That was his nightlight for a while until it dawned on me that it was probably having a negative effect on his sleep. You couldn’t dim it or make it stay on one color + I really think the brightness + movement was completely disruptive. Instead of going back to a little outlet nightlight I switched to a Himalayan salt lamp with a dimmer. BEST. DECISION. EVER! It produces that orange/pink light that helps keep our internal clocks on a sleep schedule + let’s us know it’s time for rest (think sunsets). This is the one we use. This Himalayan salt outlet night light also look cute but are not dimmable.
I’m also a big proponent of white noise to create a consistent sleep environment. White noise creates that sound just like in the womb when we would hear that steady whoosh whoosh. It’s something I don’t think we ever fully outgrow. We have this white noise machine in our youngest’s bedroom. Nothing fancy + it’s small enough to take with us on vacation + fairly inexpensive. With our oldest, we do meditation every night which has helped him fall right to sleep. But other ways to create white noise are by simply turning on the fan. Or if you get an air purifier the hum is quite enough to not disrupt sleep but loud enough to drown out some other noise disturbances.
Blackout curtains or shades are another helpful addition especially during summer. We purchased these ones from Bed, Bath + Beyond.
Sleepwear
One of the least thought of ways to promote healthy sleep for kids is pajamas. Never, EVER underestimate the power of good quality sleepwear. There have been so many times my kids have woken up sweating hot in those footed or fleece PJs. They may be cute but they’re so not worth the interrupted sleep. My absolute favorite pajamas that help keep the kids cool in the summer + warm in the winter are Westyn Baby PJs. They are sooooo soft, stretchy + lightweight. Plus they don’t have tags that can aggravate sensitive skin or kids with sensory issues. They are made from 95% Modal + 5% Lycra which means they will stretch but not stretch out. Modal is absorbent, air permeable + breathable, making these PJs lightweight, silky-smooth + perfect for maintaining a comfortable sleeping body temperature. Go with a gender neutral color like gray or green + you can pass them down from child to child making them worth every penny! I passed down a gray pair to my cousin for her baby boy + she couldn’t stop raving about how soft they were!
Since Westyn Baby doesn’t use flame retardants (thank the Lord!!) they are very particular on maintaining federal flammability safety standards. They are third party tested to ensure safety + adherence to children’s sleepwear regulations. Also can’t forget to mention that this amazing line was created by a mom who knew that she wanted the absolute best for her children + has made it her mission to create sleepwear for babies + toddlers that focuses on quality, durability, comfort + most importantly, safety. They come in several different colors + styles that are beautiful + classic. You can read more about these pajamas + my original review of them HERE.
Bedding
A lot of baby/kids bedding contains polyester blends which make them stain resistant or wrinkle free. Unfortunately, this most likely also means that they contain formaldehyde, a known carcinogen + throat/lung/skin irritant. My oldest had small bumps on his face for the longest time + when I switched to organic cotton sheets, they practically disappeared. Not to mention that the cotton is much cooler + less irritating to the skin in general. I have switched our sheets to Coyuchi. Here is a link to the crib sheets but they also have a great subscription program called Coyuchi For Life that allows you to “lease” certain items like sheets, towels + even pillows for a selected length of time, then return them to the company. The benefit of this program is two-fold…1) you get to enjoy non-toxic, organic bedding at a fraction of the cost + 2) since textiles are some of the hardest items to breakdown in the landfill you can send them back to a company that has designed ways to limit the environmental impact of discarded textiles. This program is wallet, health + environmentally friendly.
If you can’t swing organic cotton bedding look for at least 100% cotton. Try to avoid anything that says polyester, acrylic (code name for plastic), or wrinkle free/stain resistant. Having layers of bedding can also help with temperature control throughout the night.
Routine
As a family that operates around shift work, routine can be tricky. But at the same token it’s extremely crucial. We used to eat dinner around 7 on days my husband worked so we still eat as family. That also meant an 8:30 bedtime which didn’t leave much time for my husband + me to have quiet downtime. Sooo…adjustments have been made + we now usually do dinner around 5:30-6, bath then a quick game or books. After that it’s brushing teeth then into bed to say prayers + meditation then sleep.
The goal is to have them in bed by 7:30. We will cuddle with them for a few minutes but really try to leave before they fall asleep so if they wake up they aren’t expecting us to still be there. Side note, the rooms are always darkened (with salt lamp nightlight on) + white noise n when they go in. This sets the tone for sleep the minute they walk through the door.
Healthy sleep for kids really begins at nighttime. So in addition to a bedtime routine we also have an general nighttime routine. After dinner + bath we keep most of the lights off or dimmed, diffuse some calming oils + promote an overall sense of relaxation (as much as can be done with a 5 + 3 year old). It takes some kids a hot minute to settle down so by giving visual cues like low lights + turning the TV off it gets everyone in the bedtime mindset.
Whatever your routine looks like it should be the simple + work for your kids/family lifestyle. Healthy sleep for kids means nothing if you are stressing yourself out to get there. Let your kids behavior + needs be the driving force. In the end, if you or the kids are having a hard, crappy day…forget routine + just snuggle to sleep! You both probably need it 🙂
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