Motherly Love Summer 2021

PARENTING 101 good sleeping habits
LIGHTS ON, LIGHTS OFF
Did you know that the kind of
lighting you use around your sleeping
environment can influence your
sleep patterns? This is because in
order to sleep, the brain has to
induce the sleep hormone melatonin,
whose production gets affected at the
cost of high exposure to light. Hence,
for a better sleep environment
choose lights with cooling tones.
AVOID DISRUPTIONS
When your child has settled down to
finally sleep, do not cause
distractions that can affect them. For
example, avoid creating a noisy
situation and try to keep all things
dim and quiet. In this manner,
children will get accustomed to
falling asleep as soon as the sleep
environment has been set up. Try
using a blanket, as children tend to
fall asleep due to its weight on them.
MAINTAIN SLEEP
HYGIENE
Maintain continuous and undisturbed
sleep by fortifying your sleep hygiene.
This refers to organising routines,
setting clean and copiously ventilated
environments, avoiding distractions
etc.
ADAPTING TO OUR
BIOLOGICAL CLOCK
Things are not always the same, so is
our biological clock. So when it ticks
at various intervals, we have to be all
ears. We need to adjust to the natural
sleep patterns of an infant. They are
naturally drowsy, and unlike us, they
sleep and wake up regularly
regardless of the hour of the day.
But, one way to make their sleep
schedule rather more suitable to ours
is by making them sleep in a well-lit,
sunny room in the daytime and in a
darker, more soothing room at night.
In the case of slightly older children,
there should be a solid bedtime that
allows you to plan things accordingly.
GO TECH-FREE
The key to having a good night’s sleep
is the resolution to avoid screen time
well in advance before going to bed.
The visual stimulation caused by the
screens and other gadgets can result
in obstructing the inflow of melatonin
hormones produced by the brain,
which in turn delays the process of
falling asleep. Keep in mind that it’s
better to feel already dozy before
going to bed.
THE COOLER THE
ROOM, THE BETTER THE
SLEEP
Sleep essentials include cool tones
for the eyes, cooler temperatures for
the body, and the coolest pajamas for
the mood to set in.
BEDS ARE FOR SLEEP
It’s important to make your child
realise the purpose of a bed. Though,
they may like to believe in their ability
to be productive while working on a
bed, employ the rule of using the bed
only to sleep. Other activities such as
learning, doing homework or gaming
should not be encouraged.
SAY NO TO CAFFEINE
Caffeine can be a potential threat to
the process of inducing the sleep
hormone, melatonin. Especially in
the case of children, where hormonal
imbalances are infelicitous. Watch
out for their night-time diet. Caffeine
can be found not just in coffee but
also in other sources such as
chocolates, soft drinks etc. Look for
healthier substitutes for dinnertime
desserts, too.
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Motherly LOVE Issue 1