Getting Sleep Back on Track After the Holidays
As the holiday season creeps to an end, you may notice that your child’s sleep is a bit “off”. This is common around the holidays, as many parents will let their child’s usual sleep habits slip. Your intentions were good, you just wanted to let your child enjoy all that the holidays have to offer. Eventually, the effects of this start to creep in, as I’m sure you’ve noticed! When it’s time to get back to normal, these tips can help to get sleep back on track.
1. Bring back the bedtime rules
If you have been letting bedtime “rules” slide over the holidays, it’s time to put those rules back in place. Some of these bent rules may seem harmless, but everything starts to add up with time. Maybe naps have been sporadic, or bedtime has moved later and later. Be firm about bedtime rules, I’m sure you now realize why they were a thing in the first place!
2. Get back into the bedtime routine
Many times, the holidays can mean that your child’s bedtime routine goes to the wayside. Routine not only reminds your child that sleep is coming soon, but it also can provide some security to your child around bedtime as well. It’s a great way to keep bedtime tantrums from happening.
If you’ve never had a bedtime routine with your little one, now is a great time to start! It doesn’t need to be complicated. Bedtime routine can be as simple as a diaper change, PJ’s, teeth brushing, a book, and then down to bed.
If you have an older toddler or preschooler, it can also be helpful to use a bedtime chart. Charts can help your child to feel more in control of their bedtime routine.
3. Make up for sleep debt
If your child’s sleep schedule has been thrown off at all, they probably have some “sleep debt” to make up for. Sleep debt is the difference between the amount of sleep your child is getting, and the amount of sleep that your child actually needs. If your child has been going to bed later, skipping naps, or maybe shortening naps, they have a sleep debt. This may not seem like a big deal, but an overtired child can lead to behavior problems, poor eating, and poor sleep. Yep, an overtired babe will actually become more “wired” thanks to a release of cortisol (your awake hormone), instead of a release of melatonin (your sleepy hormone).
So, if you’ve wondered why your child is going to bed later, but is waking up in the morning even earlier than normal, or is suddenly waking in the middle of the night, this is why!
Make up for this debt by putting your child to bed 30 minutes earlier than normal for a few nights. After a few nights, you can start to put your babe to bed at their normal time.
4. Shift their schedule
Maybe your child doesn’t have sleep debt, but they have been going to bed later and therefor are waking up later. Now is the time to start to shift your schedule back to normal. Do this by waking your child up at their normal time. When it comes time for bed, start to shift bedtime earlier by 15-30 minutes each night until you are back to your child’s normal bedtime.
5. Cut back on the junk
Okay, I’m totally guilty of this one myself! It’s so easy to let your child (and yourself) go a little crazy on the sweets over the holidays. Remember that hormone, cortisol that I just talked about? Yep, the one that leads to poor sleep. It also gets released when sugar is consumed. Cut off sugary foods (especially chocolate- it also contains caffeine) after dinner. I would also suggest avoiding foods that are high in fiber, if your kid is prone to middle of the night poops. If your child needs a snack prior to bed, go for something with a good mix of protein and carbs. The go-to in my house is a banana with natural peanut butter.
Whether your child’s sleep is off track because of the holidays, vacation, school break, or just day to day life; these tips can help to get sleep back on track. Feel like you need more guidance? Book a free evaluation call with me to find out how I can help!
