Getting kids to sleep is always a bit of a hassle, but the colder weather makes it especially hard. The lack of warmth and sunlight makes everyone cranky, and that moodiness carries on the entire day, affecting the sleep. On top of this, the dry winter air can cause discomfort like skin tightening, dry mouth and others. Adults have a tough time getting through this, imagine how much tougher it is for kids!
That is why it is important to find ways to ensure comfort for your kids this winter, so their health remains unaffected by the cold outside. The best way to do this is by ensuring they sleep well, so their batteries can recharge effectively and they can spend these cold days active and healthy as always! To help you in your quest to provide the best sleep for your kids here’s a guide to the best practices to follow:
How Many Hours of Sleep Do Kids Need?
Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial for children as their bodies are still in the developmental stage when they’re younger. This process is activated when they are sleeping, which is why ample sleep is an absolute must. While each child is different, here’s the generalised amount of sleep required by children, as recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine:
Age Of Child | No Of Hours Required (including daytime naps) |
4 to 12 months | 12 to 16 |
1 to 2 years | 11 to 14 |
3 to 5 years | 10 to 13 |
6 to 12 years | 9 to 12 |
13 to 18 years | 8 to 10 |
To help you get this started, here’s a few tips to ensure sound sleep for your kids this winter:
Get The Right Bed Linen
The biggest enemy of sleep is discomfort. When your child feels cold in the middle of the night, their sleep will be disturbed. That is why it is important to create a good sleep atmosphere by adding layers to their bed. To get them excited to go to bed, get kids bedsheets from the SPACES kids collection. There you can find an amazing range of bedsheets including disney bedsheets (disney princesses), mickey mouse bed sheets, avengers bedsheets and more.
The next step is to add layers to the bed, so warmth is always conserved. This is dependent on the kind of temperatures observed in your area, since overheating can also lead to unsatisfactory sleep quality. If you stay in a tropical climate zone like Mumbai, you don’t need heavy quilts or kids comforters. Getting a dohar blanket should be enough to keep them sufficiently warm. You can find kids dohars on the SPACES website with their favourite characters. For those staying in colder areas like Uttarakhand, you need thicker blankets. It is highly advisable to get kids comforters or layer your blankets by adding duvet covers, or kids dohars to the mix. You can browse our diverse collection of blankets online to pick the right combination for your child’s needs.
Encourage Storytime Before Bed
It is crucial to create a relaxed atmosphere for kids while putting them to sleep. Having excess energy will keep your kids awake beyond their bedtime, and in turn, cut short the number of hours they need to sleep in order to maintain their health. The best way to bring their energy level down before sleep is to reduce electronics usage at least an hour prior and to inculcate the habit of storytelling. This age-old tradition involves tucking them into bed, turning off the lights and narrating a story in a soft tone. By having them lie down and close their eyes as they listen, you will find them drifting off even before you finish your tale!