Tired kids make for a tired mama. That’s why it’s so important for them to get their best night’s sleep. Read our tips below for making sure they sleep well.

A tired child can be a real trial for already overworked moms. Cranky kids tend to make long days feel even longer.

Even at 6 and 8 our girls still take short naps nearly every day. It helps to balance their moods and allows them to focus on their school work.

While they do take naps, it’s very important to me that they get a good night’s Sleep each and every night. Over the years, we have come up with a few tips that help ensure they rest well.

Here are 5 of my best tips for ensuring our kids get the best night’s sleep.

Make Sure They Get Plenty of Exercise During the Day

Making sure the kids get plenty of exercise during the day helps ensure they’ll sleep well. Tiring them out physically makes them sleep much more soundly.

If it’s been a day where we haven’t gotten out of the house, then Brian usually hosts a dance competition for the girls. They end up dancing for nearly an hour and it really does the trick!

Nix Screen Time at Least One Hour Before Bedtime

TV, movies and video games stimulate the mind. You don’t want your child’s mind stimulated at bedtime. Turn all screens off at least one hour before bedtime.

You can replace the screen time with reading time. If your children are old enough to read, have them read to themselves. If they’re younger, you can read to them.

Reading is much more soothing to the mind than screen time. You’ll find by nixing screen time, your kids will fall asleep faster.

Diffuse Calming Essential Oils

The night we started diffusing lavender essential oil in the girls’ bedroom, they started sleeping through the night. Now, they won’t let me turn out the lights without turning on the diffuser.

Some of the combinations we like are lavender and wild orange, roman chamomile and bergamot, Breathe and myrrh or Frankincense and lavender. Other essential oils that can be helpful for sleep are marjoram, cedarwood and juniper berry. Try combinations until you find one that works for you!

Make Sure the Room is a Good Temperature

If your kids are too warm or too cold, they won’t sleep well. My girls like the room warm, but not hot. I like the room a bit cooler with lots of blankets.

Figure out the right temperature for your kiddos and try to keep the room a consistent temperature throughout the night. They’ll sleep through the night much more frequently.

Choose a Safe and Comfortable Mattress

Think back to a time where you slept on an uncomfortable mattress. How well did you sleep? That same principle applies to your children. Just because they’re young doesn’t mean they don’t need to be comfortable.

Another factor to consider is that most conventional mattresses are quite toxic. They emit all sorts of chemical fumes that contribute to everything from allergies to reproductive challenges. And kids spend nearly half of their day in bed so it’s really important for them to sleep on a healthy mattress.

We recently switched the girls to Essentia Natural Memory Foam Mattresses and they have been sleeping so well! Actually, I don’t think either of them have come into our bed in the middle of the night since we got them!

They both love how comfy and cozy the mattresses are. I love that they are completely non-toxic, so they aren’t exposed to toxic chemicals while they sleep.

These are five tips for making sure your children get the best night’s sleep. What would you add to the list?

Feature image © Deposit Photos / canovass

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