Sleep-Friendly Bedroom Ideas For Your Child
Kids will try just about anything to get out of bed time. Getting your child into sleep mode can be challenging, but there are things you can do to create a sleep-friendly bedroom interior that encourages your child to stop fighting the Z’s.
Remove clutter
They say a tidy space equals a tidy mind and this is true even for children. Keeping their bedroom neat and tidy will help them to be free from distractions when it’s time for bed. We suggest using storage cubes for toys and a good bookshelf to store all of their night time stories. At the end of their day, encouraging them to put away their things will help them to appreciate the tidy space.
Black out curtains
Nothing is more conducive to a good rest than a dark environment, which can be achieved with the help of black out curtains. These are particularly helpful for children with an early bed-time or for those that take naps during the day. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that our bodies produce in response to darkness. This is why humans naturally feel tired at night and wake up during the day. Creating a dark environment for children will help their body to become naturally sleepy.
As a counter to this: it’s important that spaces where your children will be spending most of their day are bright and filled with natural sunlight. This will help to set your child’s natural body clock and they will therefore find it easier to fall asleep at night. You might like to invest in removable blackout curtains that can be removed each morning to let the light in. As an added bonus, you can then take the curtains with you when you travel to continue to create a space that promotes good sleep even when your family is away.
Calming colour palettes
When designing your child’s bedroom, it’s important to consider the colour options carefully. Whilst you want the colour of the walls to suit your child and their personality, you also want them to promote a cosy sleeping environment. A good rule of thumb is to opt for softer pastels such as pale yellow or green. Earthy, neutral tones are also good for creating a grounded and calming atmosphere. Colours to avoid are red, orange and bright yellow as they have been proven to increase blood pressure and promote energy and excitement. Not what you’re wanting when you’re trying to create a sleepy sanctuary for your child!
A night light
Whilst a dark environment is ideal for encouraging sleep, if your child is scared or unsettled in the dark, this is only going to increase their anxiety and keep them awake. Find a dim night light that emits a warm glow and this shouldn’t impact their body’s melatonin production and will allow them to drift into slumber relatively easily. Investing in a salt lamp or a similarly muted light that has a soft, warm glow will keep the room dark with just a hint of warmth so they feel comforted as they drift off to sleep.
Kids are no different to adults when it comes to needing a comfortable bed in order to achieve a restful night’s sleep. Ensure the mattress is good quality and will support them during sleep and that their bedding is cozy but won’t cause them to overheat. It’s also important to limit the amount of toys and outside distractions that are in their bed. Obviously their comfort toy is important to calm them for sleep but having a bed full of toys and books isn’t going to encourage them to wind down and relax.
White noise
In many households, a child is sleeping whilst others are still up and about. During day time naps there can also be a lot of outside noise disturbing their slumber. Because of this, having a noise machine that can emit white noise or calming music and sounds can help to override all of these outside distractions.
Creating the perfect sleep-friendly bedroom interior for your child can mean more sleep for them, but also for you. If you’re looking to build your perfect family home: reach out to the team at Hotondo Homes who understand how important the well-being of your family is. Make an appointment today by phone, email or through our contact us page.
