The baby does not fall asleep well at night - irritating factors, prevention and treatment. Ways to quickly fall asleep to a child How to help a baby fall asleep

23.06.2020 -

Children aged 6 to 13 need between 9 and 11 hours of sleep each night. This requirement can be very difficult to comply with if the child has difficulty falling asleep. Most insomnia medications are not safe to take at an early age, so in this situation it is necessary to resort to natural methods to induce sleep. There are many techniques for children to help them fall asleep faster, such as using relaxation techniques, following a routine for getting ready for bed, maintaining good sleep hygiene, and creating a pleasant environment in the bedroom.

Steps

Use relaxation techniques

Count down from 100. It is important to relax your mind in order to fall asleep, so counting down from 100 may help. Lying in bed, close your eyes and start counting down from 100 in your mind (100, 99, 98, 97, and so on). This exercise allows you to relax your mind and helps you fall asleep.

If you count to one but don't fall asleep, try a bigger number like 500 or even 1000.

Keep a diary. Journaling is also a good way to calm your mind and start switching to sleep mode. Write about the past day, about your fears, worries, or anything else. Writing down your thoughts on paper may help you let them go and fall asleep faster.
- Try to start a special diary where you will make notes before going to bed every night.
- You can also use a diary to make lists of things that worry you or write down questions you would like to ask someone.
Take a warm bath. This will help you relax, calm your muscles and clear your mind. When preparing for bed, try to do this item first. Use your favorite bubble bath to wash off and soak in the bath for about 15-20 minutes. Then dry off with a clean, fluffy towel.

Put on your pajamas. Cozy pajamas will help you feel comfortable and promote good sleep. Choose a few pajamas that match the seasons. For example, if it's winter and you're a little chilly at night, wear flannel pajamas. If it's summer and you're usually hot at night, wear something light, like a T-shirt and shorts.

Take care of other personal needs. Once you've put on your pajamas, you'll need to take care of all your other personal needs to ensure you get a good night's sleep. Brush your teeth, wash your face, drink water and go to the toilet before going to bed.

Turn on relaxing music. Music will help you relax, so it's a great addition to your evening routine. Choose something soothing, like classical or jazz. Or you can listen to a few slow songs from one of your favorite musicians. Whatever your choice, the main thing is that it be a pleasant and relaxing melody.

Dim the light. Dimming the lights will help the body produce melatonin, which is an essential sleep hormone. Bright light can interfere with the body's ability to release melatonin. You don't have to turn off all the lights, but make sure that any bulbs you leave on are dim.
- For example, a small table lamp or a night light can give off a dim light to help you sleep.
Get into bed. After you have taken care of all your needs and made your bedroom nice and cozy, you can climb into bed and start relaxing. You don't have to fall asleep right away, but getting into bed will help your body and mind switch to sleep mode.

Have a quiet chat with someone or read a story. Sometimes you will be ready to fall asleep right away, but other times you may need a little more time to plunge into the realm of Morpheus. If you don't feel sleepy yet, talking quietly with your parent can help you relax. You can also try reading a bedtime story on your own or with your parents to help you feel sleepy.

Develop good sleep hygiene

Use the bed only for sleeping. Doing other things in addition to sleeping in bed can make it difficult to fall asleep at night. Make sure the only thing you do in your bed is sleep. Don't watch TV, play video games, or do homework in bed.

Don't eat two hours before bed. If you eat shortly before bed, it will be harder for you to fall asleep because your body will still be digesting the food. Try to plan your last snack at least two hours before bed. For example, if you go to bed at 9:00 pm, eat your last meal at around 7:00 pm.

Do something relaxing at the end of the day. If you do things that require a lot of energy or excite you, it will be harder for you to fall asleep at night. Be active at the beginning of the day and do quieter things in the evenings.
- For example, ride a bike, play video games or football early in the day, and read and listen to music in the evening.
Go to bed at the same time every night. Having a strict schedule for going to bed will help you fall asleep more easily at night because your body will learn when it's time to sleep each day. Be sure to stick to the same schedule even on weekends.
- For example, if you go to bed at 21:00 on weekdays, don't break the routine on weekends.
- It would also be a good idea to wake up at the same time every day.

If a child at 1 or 5 months cannot be put to bed, then it is best to consult a pediatrician. But in the absence of serious reasons for concern, you can use one of the methods of quickly falling asleep or listen to popular advice from experienced professionals.

The question of how to properly put a newborn or a little older child to sleep does not have a clear answer. The prerequisites for insomnia can be intestinal colic, teething, and poor health.

There are some rules and age-specific features that will allow you to get to know the baby better and understand how to put the newborn to sleep at night.

Many doctors are convinced that it is not so important for a baby to follow a special regimen, since biological rhythms have not yet been fully established before the age of one. In addition, the quality and duration of sleep is also affected by temperament and characteristics of the nervous system.

Popular laying methods

How to put a child to sleep without any problems? There are many effective methods known since ancient times - the so-called grandmother's advice.

For example, many people still use lullabies, since the lulling mother's voice cannot be replaced by any modern technology. Moreover, the crumbs are not interested in the aesthetics of the song, but in the emotional mood and soothing rhythm. How else to put the baby to sleep?

This method should take into account the age, characteristics of the nervous system of the child. In this case, a ritual is understood as some action that is repeated every day at a certain time, and it does not matter if it is summer or winter.

For children under 6 months old, being in familiar surroundings can help to calm down. But a violation of the ritual can create problems with falling asleep - changing the bed, room, pajamas, mother's hairstyle, the appearance of strangers in the room, etc.

If the child is already 6 months old, it is imperative to create your own ritual, which would be associated with falling asleep in the crumbs. The most important rule is that this “rite” should be associated exclusively with positive emotions.

An example of such "sleepy" actions are:

"farewell to the sun" Mom takes the baby in her arms, brings it to the window and says that the sun, as well as all the animals, have already fallen asleep, therefore, it’s also time for small children to “bainki”. Then the curtains are drawn, the lights are turned off, and the baby is placed in the crib;
reading fairy tales, poems, viewing colorful pictures;
hugging a child's favorite teddy bear;
singing a lullaby;
observation of aquarium fish, etc.

Such ritual actions usually allow you to put the child to sleep without problems, who already understands their meaning. However, when the baby gets sick, even this method does not always work.

Contrary to the fears of many mothers, it is possible to rock a child, of course, if there are no medical contraindications. On the contrary, some doctors are convinced that moderate motion sickness can benefit the children's body.

Rhythmic swaying, repeating the heartbeat, stabilizes the biological rhythms of the baby.

It is only important to remember that in babies the vestibular apparatus is imperfect, so the question of how to rock the baby correctly is really relevant.

The main thing is to act extremely carefully, slowly rocking the baby held on the handles back and forth.

Such monotonous movements act on the human body, like a sleeping pill.

On the other hand, rocking the child constantly, parents run the risk of turning this habit into a kind of psychological addiction.

Therefore, if there is an opportunity to do without motion sickness, then you should use it. In such a situation, you will not have to then wean the baby from the habit of falling asleep from constant swaying and only if he is on his mother's arms.

Babies at both 2 and 4 months have developed a sucking reflex, which they seek to satisfy in all available ways. If you can’t put your baby to sleep, you can offer him a pacifier that will allow him to calm down and fall asleep.

After the child falls asleep, it is better to remove the pacifier. Otherwise, there is a risk of a new undesirable habit - pacifier sucking.

At five or six months, the sucking reflex begins to fade. And when the baby is one year old, it is generally better to refuse the silicone assistant and find other methods that allow the child to calm down before falling asleep.

Musical works

You can lay the baby either in silence or with appropriate musical accompaniment. Melodies for falling asleep should be chosen soothing. The sound of the ocean, raindrops, the singing of birds, etc. will perfectly cope with this role.

By the way, pediatricians do not recommend putting babies to bed in absolute silence. If the parents behave quietly in a rhyme, then the child will react to any rustle. However, it is also undesirable to teach the baby to fall asleep under a working TV.

swaddling

This method works both for falling asleep as soon as possible, and for quickly calming the newborn baby. The baby, especially if he is less than 4 months old, often tosses and turns in his sleep, spreading his arms and thereby disturbing his own sleep.

If you don't know how to put a 2-month-old baby to bed, try swaddling him, fairly tight, but not too tight. The tightness of the diaper creates an association with the mother's womb in the baby, so it rather calms and lulls.

In order to be able to quickly and seamlessly put the baby to sleep, it is necessary to create a strong association with him: the bed is a place for falling asleep and sweet dreams, and not for play activities or ordinary rest.

Imagine if mom puts the baby in bed for almost the whole day, except for the time for walking and feeding. In this case, the child will not have the necessary connection, signaling that it is time to close his eyes when going to bed.

Of course, sometimes it turns out that the child falls asleep where necessary: in the infant carrier, stroller, on mother's arms or a feeding chair. However, it is necessary to accustom to the crib, which becomes an ideal place to sleep.

For more information on how to teach a child, read the article by a child psychologist. From this material, you can learn the pros and cons of co-sleeping, as well as possible mistakes in accustoming.

"Exit - entrance"

A rather ambiguous way, its meaning lies in the fact that the child needs to be put in a crib and immediately go out for five to seven minutes, without waiting for the little undesirable to fall asleep.

If during this period the baby has not fallen asleep, then the mother needs to return, try to calm him down, lull him and leave the room again so that the baby can doze off on his own.

Usually, after a few days, the child understands that he needs to fall asleep "on his own." Therefore, this method is more suitable for babies at 2 years old or a little younger, but not for newborns.

caress and hugs

You can soothe the child with gentle strokes when he is already in bed. Some children like it when they stroke their eyebrows, ears, hands. Others calm down from gentle touches on the back or tummy.

A similar feature is typical for children under 6 months old, in whom tactile sensations are developed quite strongly. Therefore, the question of how to quickly put a child to sleep can be answered simply: touch the baby more often or hold him close to you.

complacency

If not a single method has worked and the problem of how to put the baby to sleep during the day or at night has not been resolved, first of all, mom needs to calm down. A woman trying to lull her child is trying too hard, as a result, the baby feels tension and cries even more.

Therefore, the mother needs to give up excessive efforts and just try to distract the baby in any way: show something bright, turn on unfamiliar music, dance with him. After the stress is relieved, the child will begin to calm down and fall asleep faster.

Pediatricians recommend understanding the underlying reason for childhood insomnia and eliminating it. Therefore, parents need to make sure that the child is not sick, fed, he is not worried about too high or low air temperature in the room.

Author's methods

The question of how to properly put a child to sleep is asked not only by parents, but also by specialists - somnologists or pediatricians. They offer their own methods, which involve either the baby quickly falling asleep on his own, or the mother performing certain sequential actions.

For several decades, the technique of the American pediatrician Karp has been used in practice by parents around the world. It consists of 5 effective techniques:

All these steps can be used in combination or separately. Someone manages to send the baby to a daytime sleep or put it to bed at night after motion sickness, other parents note that the child instantly calms down when hissing over his ear (“white noise”).

This technique of the Spanish pediatrician is more suitable for children over one and a half years old, who already understand a little the words spoken by their parents. For newborns, this method of laying is unacceptable.

Dr. Esteville's method of falling asleep on his own consists in the fact that the mother regularly tells the baby during daylight hours that he is sleeping in his own crib today without motion sickness and a reminder.

In the evening, mom puts the baby to bed, wishes him pleasant dreams and says that she will come to check on him in a minute. She then leaves the room and locks the door. These 60 seconds must be sustained, although the baby will cry loudly.

During the week, the duration of the child's seclusion increases. At the same time, the mother does not need to feel sorry for him, but to explain in the same words why he is now sleeping in his bed. The pediatrician even developed a special plate of intervals through which the baby is taken.

This technique of falling asleep has both followers and opponents. Therefore, you should focus not on the opinion of other parents on the network, but on your own child.

The Nathan Dylo Method

Is it possible to put a baby to sleep in a minute? It turns out that this is possible if you approach the matter with a certain imagination. So, a young father from Australia showed in a video how he put his two-month-old son into a restful sleep in 40 seconds, running a paper napkin over his face.

As experts explain, there is nothing extraordinary in this, since many newborn children react in a similar way to the touch of a soft object on their face and ears. Touching the fingernails or toenails is also often triggered.

Naturally, a guaranteed way to lull an infant or an older child to sleep is not easy to find. What works for one baby may not work for another. Trial and error will help you find the best option.

The popular TV doctor Yevgeny Komarovsky identifies 10 basic recommendations, the implementation of which will help ensure healthy sleep for the baby and other household members.

Prioritize. The first point in other words - all family members should rest. For newborns, it is necessary that the mother be calm, happy and well-rested.
Determine your sleep pattern. The schedule of sleep and wakefulness must necessarily take into account the features of the daily regimen of the parents, as well as the biorhythms of the baby. And you need to observe the time of falling asleep every day.
Decide where the baby will sleep. Komarovsky believes that the baby should sleep alone in a separate bed. In such a situation, adults will get enough sleep, and at 1 year old the bed can be moved to another room. However, mom can lay the baby next to her.
Don't be afraid to wake your baby. Often the question of how to put a child to sleep during the day smoothly flows into the problem of his unwillingness to sleep at night. Therefore, adjust the time of daytime sleep.
Optimize your feeding. See how your child reacts to food. If after eating he is drawn to sleep, feed him tightly in the evening. If the situation is reversed and the baby wants to play after milk, on the contrary, reduce the amount of food.
Increase activity during the day. Make your wakefulness more active: walk outside, communicate with people and animals, observe the world around you, play. This will increase the duration of the night's sleep.
Provide fresh air. If the room is stuffy, the baby simply will not fall asleep. Also, low humidity does not contribute to healthy sleep. Bring these parameters to optimal performance.
bathe the baby. Warm water will relieve fatigue, improve mood, and also relax the little bather.
Prepare the crib. Komarovsky advises each time to monitor whether the bed is organized correctly. It is important to purchase only high-quality sheets, mattresses and diapers.
Don't forget the diaper. A high-quality disposable diaper will allow the child to sleep and the mother to rest. Therefore, do not be afraid to use these hygiene items.

As a conclusion

The question of how to put a child to sleep in 5 minutes, perhaps, will never lose its relevance. In order for the baby to fall asleep quickly and without tears, you will have to try many methods and use a variety of recommendations.

It is important not to forget about yourself and your mental health. Agree that a twitchy mother and a tired father will in no way contribute to a child falling asleep soon. Therefore, stay calm and solve the problem without unnecessary nerves.

Parents usually run out of batteries before the child runs out of power. Here are ways to make those little eyes close.

Relax during the day. If you hold your baby a lot and soothe him during the day, the baby becomes calmer and sleeps better at night.

Use repetitive bedtime ceremonies. How

the older the child, the more desirable the constant ceremonies and rituals. Children who have repetitive, within reason, bedtime ceremonies tend to sleep better. Due to the modern pace of life, putting a child to bed early and on a strict timetable is not as realistic, and this regimen does not occur as often as it used to. Imagine working parents who, more often than not, don't get home until six or seven in the evening. This is the most interesting time for the child: do not expect him to fall asleep as soon as you come home. By the time the parents have returned home, the father, mother, or both may have a great desire to put the child to bed early, instead of tormenting the whole evening with a cranky child. If one or both parents usually come home late, put the child to bed later more practical and realistic. In this situation, give your child the opportunity to sleep as late as possible in the afternoon so that the child is well rested when the main time for him to communicate with tired parents in the evening comes.

Use relaxation techniques. A soothing massage or a warm bath is a good solution for relaxing tense muscles and overworked minds.

Rock in your bag. This technique worked best for our children, especially one who spent most of the day in an overexcited state and could not calm down.

Lull your chest. Waste to

sleep at the mother's breast is on the list of natural sleeping pills. Sit comfortably next to your baby and breastfeed him until he falls asleep. The smooth transition from a warm bath through warm hands to warm breasts and then into a warm bed usually leads to sleep. Formula-fed babies can also be lulled in this way.

Lull with the help of your father.

As stated above, lulling does not necessarily mean breastfeeding. Fathers can lull too, using their own uniquely masculine ways. It makes sense to give the child the opportunity to experience both maternal and paternal ways of going to bed.

Make your child feel comfortable.

Your child may be almost ready to sleep, but may not want to be put to sleep alone. After rocking your baby, scolding your baby in your arms or in a bag, or feeding your baby so that he falls asleep in your arms, lie down on your bed with your sleeping baby, snuggle up to him and wait until he is sound asleep (or until you won't sleep soundly).

Rock me. The rocking chair next to the bed is perhaps the most important piece of furniture for your bedroom. Treasure these moments of motion sickness, as they only come at an early age and soon pass.

Bed on wheels. Let's say you've tried everything. You are ready to go to bed, or you are ready to send your child to bed, but he can not calm down. As a last resort, put your child in a car seat and ride until he falls asleep. Constant movement is the fastest way to induce sleep. This bedtime ritual is especially good for fathers and gives tired mothers a break from their baby. We also used this travel time for much-needed interaction with each other, talking in the car while the baby nods off and falls asleep from the non-stop traffic and the noise of the engine. When you get home and find your baby sound asleep, don't take him out of the car seat right away, or he'll likely wake up.

Carry your baby right into the seat in your bedroom and let the baby stay in it like in a crib. Or, if the baby is in a very deep sleep (check for flaccid limbs), you may be able to get him out of the seat and into the crib without waking him up.

Mechanical moms. Technical devices designed to put children to bed and keep them from waking up are becoming a bigger and bigger industry. Tired parents pay big bucks to get a good night's sleep. It's okay to use them as a last resort when your real mom's batteries run out, but using these artificial remedies all the time can be unhealthy. I remember a newspaper article touting the benefits of a sleepy teddy bear with a cassette player inside that plays songs or recorded breath sounds. Baby can snuggle up to the singing, breathable, synthetic bear. We personally do not want our children to fall asleep under someone else's inanimate voice. Why not give the child a real parent?

See if the limbs are flaccid. All these tips for putting your baby to bed will do you no good and all your hard work will be wasted if you try to sneak out while your baby is still in REM or light sleep. See if there are signs of deep sleep, such as a fixed face and flaccid limbs, and if so, then you can safely transfer your sleeping treasure to its nest and slip away.

Sleep is an integral part of the baby, helping the developing body to rest. At the same time, parents often have situations when the baby does not fall asleep well at night, cries in bed, and is naughty.

As a result, the child does not get enough sleep and during the day can be capricious. What to do when the baby cannot fall asleep and spin for a long time before bedtime - this will help to figure out the source of the problem.

Causes of poor sleep in babies

Faced with such a problem as the lack of sleep in the child in the evening, parents are often lost and cannot take adequate action without outside help. At the same time, the baby falls asleep badly in the evening, and sleeps normally during the day.

It is important to know that the occurrence of difficulties with laying indicates the presence of diseases or a change in the infant's regimen.

According to Dr. Komarovsky, the reasons may be as follows:

lack of desire to sleep in the baby;
the child has confusion with day and night;
the newborn is hungry, thirsty, or something hurts the crumbs;
the psychological and emotional mood of the parent - depression and overwork are badly reflected in the child's falling asleep;
feeling of discomfort - a wet diaper, uncomfortable pajamas;
illumination and noise in the room - loud sounds and bright light adversely affect the baby;
the newborn shows excessive activity and emotions before going to bed;
overexcitation is one of the main reasons for poor sleep at night.

The factor why the baby does not fall asleep well, according to Komarovsky, may be the absence or change in the practiced procedure for going to bed. It is necessary to draw up an exact schedule of the day for the child based on individuality. For example, bathing or reading will be associated with going to sleep.

So, the appearance of insomnia is possible in transitional moments. When the baby walks soon, he will talk either with the growth of teeth. These moments should be waited out, sleep is normalized.

If the situation in the room has changed or the baby is afraid to fall asleep at night alone, this can also provoke heavy laying.

The impact of various ailments can interfere with healthy sleep:

asthma;
heartburn;
cold;
ear infection;

If you find out the real reason why the child does not fall asleep well at night, you can easily arrange bedding.

Self-sleeping techniques

Very often, parents ask themselves the question of how to teach a baby to fall asleep on its own? There are 4 effective methods that allow you to accustom the crumbs to fall asleep on their own at night.

Self-soothing method

This method contains a verbal and tactile influence on the child, helping to fit himself and comfort himself when he wakes up.

What to do when the baby does not want to fall asleep on its own? It is necessary to prepare for laying at a certain time. Helping your baby sleep can help:

warm bath;
reading;
poor lighting;
quiet soothing melody.

When it's time to sleep, you need to put the baby in the crib and stay close. Quietly exit if the baby is already asleep. If the baby felt care and whimpered, you need to return. You can’t take it in your hands, you should talk.

The main task of the method, when the baby hears the voice of the mother, subsided and fell asleep on its own. After a while, the baby will get used to the fact that, having risen at night, they do not pick it up. After 3 weeks of this regimen, the baby will be able to sleep alone much longer than before.

The way is a long goodbye

This method is suitable for parents who can not stand the crying of the crumbs. How to teach to fall asleep at night when the baby starts hysterical when the mother leaves the room?

It is recommended that the parent gradually move away from the cradle. Settling the child to sleep, you need to sit down daily a little further until you completely leave the room. When the baby knows that his mother is near him, he will learn to sleep on his own without whims and fear.

Putting to bed is necessary when the baby falls asleep, but has not yet fallen asleep at all. Sit down so that there is visibility of the parent. If the baby begins to cry and reach for his arms, you should stroke the baby and whisper soothing words. It is worth picking up and reacting to crying with hysteria if the baby is very violent.

After the baby becomes calm, you can return to its original place. You should leave the nursery when you make sure that he is sleeping. When the child wakes up again at night, it will be necessary to put him to sleep in the same way as in the evening. After 2 weeks, the baby will fall asleep in the room by itself.

Method - without tears

The principle of the technique is to evaluate and, if necessary, the associative transformations that appear in the baby associated with nocturnal falling asleep. If a habit has appeared to fall asleep during breastfeeding or while rocking in your arms, then of course, the baby will begin to whimper, putting him in bed. How then to accustom to sleep at night independently?

If the baby falls asleep only in the arms of his mother, then the baby will need to change the associations that are associated with going to bed at night. The baby should try to fall asleep in different situations. It can be a car, with friends, when motion sickness in a stroller. You can also pick up a toy that the baby would later take with him to bed.

It is necessary to reduce the duration of night feedings and not run to the baby on demand. You should get used to distinguishing the sounds made by the baby in order to have an idea whether the baby is sleeping or not. When the baby got up and began to cry, you need to breastfeed or formula.

Ferber's technique

The professor's method from an early age teaches the baby to rely only on his own strength in order to achieve the required comfort, and also develops patience and humility.

If the baby does not fall asleep well, you should use the usual rules. This is taking a bath, feeding, lullaby. Then you need to lay in the cradle and go out. The baby may whimper. You will need to go back and comfort with words or touch. There is no need to take the baby out of the cradle.

It is worth being prepared for the fact that you may have to do this a large number of times per night. With subsequent nights, you will need to increase the time of your absence.

If you need to calm the baby, it is better not to offer a breast, a bottle. Enter the nursery only if she cries. After a while, the method will work. There is a habit of independent night falling asleep.

If the baby does not fall asleep immediately in the evening, this may most likely indicate the cause of poor daytime sleep. It is always necessary to put the baby to bed before 9 pm, so that the next morning the baby wakes up rested and full of strength.

If the baby does not fall asleep well at night, the parent should try to determine the cause of the problem. If one of the phenomena of a pathological dream is found, you need to consult a doctor.

Violations continue for more than 3 months.
Disorders lead to a deterioration in mood, a change in behavior.
There is an assumption about a violation of breathing during sleep.

After examining a small patient, the specialist, first of all, will recommend adjusting the bed. Provide a comfortable atmosphere in the room, comfortable clothing, eliminate noise and increased activity, arrange daily bedding, optimize feeding (it is better to put to sleep immediately after feeding).

The specialist can prescribe soothing drinks, teas for the baby. For colic, appropriate drugs are prescribed individually.

In the case of impaired breathing in an infant, Komarovsky and other physicians recommend laying on its side, changing position every 40 minutes. Do not wrap and do not overheat, because the temperature increases the risk of delaying the respiratory process. And also before laying to ventilate the room.

Struggling with poor sleep at night, parents can use folk methods:

If the baby sleeps restlessly at night, put a valerian root in a bag at the head of the bed. A decoction of chamomile, which should be taken ¼ cup an hour before bedtime, will also help well. For cooking, a large spoonful of the product is taken and 200 ml of boiling water is poured. Put a small spoonful of sugar, boil for 15 minutes. Give warm.
It is recommended to bathe children in decoctions of knotweed, tansy, immortelle, elecampane. It will take 50 grams of any herb, boil in a water bath for 15 minutes, strain and add to the bathroom. You can also add aromatic oils.

Prevention

To minimize the chance of changing nighttime sleep, parents should adhere to a clear daily routine.

Lay and lift the baby strictly on time. If you sleep longer than the allotted time, whims and frustrations are possible later. Do not overfeed before laying down. Bathe the child in a warm bath with the addition of decoctions of medicinal herbs. Provide the room with enough fresh air.

It is important to identify in time the cause of prolonged falling asleep of the crumbs at night and inadequate sleep and take the necessary measures. Healthy baby sleep is an integral part of good health.

Children are so reluctant to go to bed in the evening that parents have to spend a lot of effort to put them to bed. Meanwhile, it is very important to fall asleep on time, and it is necessary to accustom the baby to falling asleep quickly from an early age. Simple but pleasant customs that need to be carried out together with children help to fall asleep faster. At first, this may seem difficult, but then the body itself will perceive them as a command to hang up.

Sending the child to sleep, you have to be both calm and persistent. In no case should you raise your voice, send to bed ahead of time, punishing for misconduct. Sleep should not be the price of wrongdoing. To make the baby more willing to go to bed, show your imagination.

Dream keeper toy

Some are naughty for a simple reason, they are afraid of the dark, nightmares. You can deal with it. Children are more likely to fall asleep with someone they trust. Let the baby have a toy that he will take with him when he goes to bed. It can be explained that she will protect him at night, make sure that only pleasant dreams come true.

Traditions before bed

A sharp transition from vigorous activity to night rest is impossible, especially when the child is passionate about something interesting. There is only one way out - to make the preparation for sleep arouse interest. It can be reading bedtime stories, putting dolls to bed, bathing with toys. The baby will be very pleased that you spend time with him before bedtime. The list of such activities depends only on the parental imagination.

Such traditions should become regular, always beginning and ending at the same time. At first, it will be difficult for parents themselves to adhere to the established routine. But later, when they and their children get used to them, going to bed will be carried out exactly on schedule.

Never break the accepted routine, as it is difficult to return to it later. Despite how the usual preparation for sleep goes, at the end wish the baby good night, sweet dreams, of course, kiss. Let mother's love be the logical end of the day.

How to fall asleep in 1 minute for children?

They say that children grow up in their sleep - this is true. Night rest should last according to childhood, so that the baby grows and develops correctly. However, it is difficult to put them to bed on time and even more so to get them to fall asleep. Often the parents themselves are to blame, as they violate the following rules:

They do not adhere to the daily routine, but it was not invented from scratch. Up to 12 years old, on average, children should sleep up to 10 hours. Teenage children can sleep for about 8 hours like adults.

Children should be active throughout the day, walk, play with peers.

Active physical games, watching cartoons and TV should be finished 2 hours before bedtime so that the nervous system has time to calm down by this time.

Dinner should not be late, otherwise it is simply physically impossible to fall asleep quickly. If the baby declares that he is hungry, you can offer him warm milk with honey. This combination is soothing.

How to quickly and soundly fall asleep to a child at 10, 11 and 12 years old

Older children are unlikely to be able to fall asleep after reading one or two fairy tales. Therefore, adult rules are suitable for them: an early dinner at least 4 hours before bedtime, a run before bedtime or a walk with the dog. To help the teenager relax faster and be able to fall asleep, turn on the music quietly. It must be a calm melody, and not his favorite musical group. And before going to bed - no cakes and cookies!

It turns out that everything is simple and parents do not need to invent anything new. If you manage to teach you to fall asleep quickly and without problems from a young age, then this quality will remain in adulthood.

List of used literature:

Levin Ya. I., Kovrov G. V. Some modern approaches to the treatment of insomnia // The attending physician. - 2003. - No. 4.
Kotova O. V., Ryabokon I. V. Modern aspects of insomnia therapy // Attending physician. - 2013. - No. 5.
T. I. Ivanova, Z. A. Kirillova, L. Ya. Rabichev. Insomnia (treatment and prevention). - M.: Medgiz, 1960. - 37 p.

In the evening, when your child begins to show signs of fatigue, it is time for him to get ready for bed. At this time, you should be especially gentle and affectionate with him. Tell him a story or sing a song. Each child has their own preferences, and you will quickly understand them.

How to help a child sleep?

1. Bed

After a moment of tenderness, the baby should be ready for bed. The bed is an important element in this process. The ideal is for the bed to be the child's own space for sleeping only. If for a child the bed will be associated with punishment, he will never want to go to bed.

2. Toy

If you regularly put him in the company of his favorite toy, he may fall asleep even when alone. This is the beginning of independence!

Leave your baby's favorite soft toy in the crib: but no more than one and a small one (because of the risk of suffocation!). The toy must be suitable for the age of the child (see the label): without small parts, non-shedding, etc. And stay nearby so that the child feels your presence.

A little tip: when you and your child spend the night away from home, take things that he loves with you. This will help him feel at home and fall asleep easily.

3. Motion sickness

You can rock the baby from time to time to help him sleep better.

4. Reasons for dissatisfaction

If your child refuses to go to bed, there may be various reasons for this. Try to understand it, while remaining firm and adamant.

The end of the day is a difficult moment for babies. They cry a lot and seem to be impossible to calm down. This is their way of expressing fatigue. Lay the child in peace and partial shade. It is better to caress him when he is already in bed than to try to calm him down.

Never use medication to make a child fall asleep! It is very dangerous! On the contrary, make sure that the period of preparation for sleep is pleasant to the baby. Your presence very often can help calm him down.

5. Music

Play soothing music or sounds for your child. You can use the music or sounds that the baby often listened to before birth.

6. Night awakenings

Often the child wakes up at night. Very often, night awakenings are provoked by exciting events that occurred during the day.

The sleep cycles of a child, like an adult, alternate with mini-awakenings, during which we open our eyes for a moment to re-immerse ourselves in a new phase of sleep.

7. Presence of parents

It may happen that your child will wake up completely at this point, as he feels that something has changed. He feels that he is no longer cradled and caressed by the hands of his parents.

To fall asleep again, the child needs your presence, so he starts crying and screaming. This is why a child who has learned to fall asleep alone wakes up less during the night.

See also -

How to put a baby to sleep - video

The optimal number of hours of sleep for newborn babies varies from 16 to 20 per day. The amount of sleep is determined by many factors, primarily the temperament of the baby.

Some sleepyheads prefer to fall asleep immediately after feeding, lulled on their mother's shoulder, while others, being restless, tend to quickly explore the world around them and put them to bed quite difficult.

The baby does not necessarily sleep and stay awake at regular intervals. If the total number of hours of sleep per day (including those with half-hour naps) reaches 16, then there is nothing to worry about.

The baby does not necessarily sleep and stay awake at regular intervals.

However if the baby sleeps less time, then you should immediately pay attention to this.

You may need to get tested soon. Discover, how to collect urine from a baby girl or a boy, you can follow the link.

The baby does not sleep well during the day. Common Causes

Even if you come to the conclusion that the baby's sleep is restless, with frequent breaks and less than the recommended amount, do not rush to panic. Perhaps the reasons why the baby does not sleep well during the day are very minor and can be easily eliminated on their own without resorting to the help of a pediatrician.

1. The temperature regime in the room in which the baby is located should be constant. It is recommended to ventilate the room in the absence of the baby two to three times a day. The optimum temperature is 21-22 degrees Celsius. If you notice that the child is actively moving his arms and legs and sneezing, most likely he is cold and you need to dress him warmer.

In winter, the baby does not sleep well during the day due to the dryness of the air. If the batteries are running high in the house, better to use a humidifier to help the child breathe easily. However, do not turn it on often - high humidity can harm the health of the baby.

2. Sound and light stimuli can also cause poor sleep during the day. Check if a strong light is shining into the baby's eyes, if it is wrinkling. Darken the room with curtains to create the optimal light environment for healthy sleep. Harsh noises and loud music can also cause anxiety in the baby.

If the batteries are running high in the house, it's best to use a humidifier to help your child breathe easily.

3. The child needs constant attention Therefore, it is not always enough to simply lull him and put him to bed. In the womb, he always heard the soothing beat of her heart, and now he falls asleep mainly on his mother's chest. Many parents notice that newborn babies calm down faster in an upright position when they are stroked in their hands.

If you want to do household chores along the way, freeing your hands, better buy a sling. With him, the baby will always be under strict supervision, and the mother will be able to calmly go about her business.

4. One of the most common causes of poor daytime sleep is hunger and wet diapers. Constantly check the dryness of the diaper and change it in time. Feed your baby constantly, keeping the same intervals between feedings.

If you want to do household chores along the way, freeing your hands, it is better to purchase a sling.

The baby does not sleep well during the day, often due to discomfort from the diaper. Periodically give your baby air baths in a warm, ventilated area.

Other causes of poor daytime sleep

In addition to the environment, conditions that prevent a baby from falling asleep during the day can be as follows:

1.Colic. A large accumulation of gases in the tummy prevents the baby from falling asleep in the daytime. Put a warm baby heating pad on your baby and give it a light massage. With frequent colic pediatricians recommend following the rules:

Before feeding your baby daily lay on the tummy on a hard surface.

Be sure to feed after you need to carry the baby in your arms vertically and wait until he burps.

Before daily feeding, the baby should be laid on the tummy on a hard surface.

In acute attacks of colic, heat the diaper with an iron to a pleasant temperature and tie it around the baby's tummy This will greatly reduce symptoms.

Massage of the tummy is done with light movements in a clockwise direction.

After feeding you can give some dill water, which will reduce the risk of gas in a child.

lactating it is better for mom to exclude tomatoes, cabbage, hot spices, dairy products, nuts from her diet. Every day you can drink a cup of tea containing lemon balm, fennel, cumin.

Contact your pediatrician, he will prescribe drugs that reduce the formation of gases and give general recommendations on feeding the child.

Massage of the tummy is done with light movements in a clockwise direction.

If the baby is bottle-fed, try changing the mix . Most likely, its composition is poorly absorbed in the body of the baby.

2. A baby may not sleep well during the day due to respiratory disorders, possible diseases of the central nervous system. In any case, you need to undergo a thorough examination under the supervision of an experienced doctor.

What to do if the baby does not sleep well during the day

Daily walks in the fresh air will help to normalize the baby's sleep. The singing of birds and the rustle of sheets are the most soothing sounds for the baby after the beating of the mother's heart. Fresh air has a positive effect on his general well-being. Get in the habit of walking your baby twice a day, except in cold and cloudy weather.

Daily walks in the fresh air will help to normalize the baby's sleep.

1. There should be a calm atmosphere at home. If possible, peace and quiet, so that the baby is not distracted by extraneous sounds.

2. When bathing a baby, use a decoction of string and chamomile , this will calm the baby and prepare him for sleep.

3. Various sachets with lavender or valerian will help him fall asleep faster. Sew an ordinary linen bag filled with one of the herbs and put it in the baby's crib.

4. After sunset, active games should be excluded. Prepare the baby for bed in advance - a few hours. Pleasant strokes on the mother's chest will be the key to sound sleep.

Pleasant strokes on the mother's chest will be the key to sound sleep.

5. Soft, relaxing music often helps children fall asleep.

The baby may not sleep well during the day due to increased noise from the street. In this case, you need to close the windows after airing. Turn on the simulation of the noise of leaves or birdsong. The main thing is that the music is very quiet, not distracting the baby. Watch his reaction - some babies fall asleep very quickly, and for some, the presence of extraneous sounds only interferes.

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Do you think that your baby does not sleep well, wakes up too often? How to help the baby? What is the reason and is there any reason for concern?

Sleep is a very important part of a newborn's life. During deep sleep, growth hormone is produced in children, so babies usually sleep a lot and grow quickly. Another important property of sleep is the protection and restoration of the nervous system. A tired child begins to act up and move restlessly. And after sleep, there is no trace of excitement. That's why good sleep is vital for your crumbs. There are average values for sleep duration depending on age. However, it is important how many hours a day the baby sleeps, and not how many hours in a row.

Features of children's sleep

Babies go through a light sleep stage that lasts about 20 minutes before falling into deep sleep. The baby may wake up if you put him in the crib during the light sleep stage. You have to wait until he falls asleep. As your baby grows, he will learn to fall asleep faster.

Sleep cycles in children are short. After 20-40 minutes, the deep sleep of the child again turns into a superficial one, and then he can wake up from the slightest noise.

How to help your child sleep

You can't make your baby fall asleep, but you can help him fall asleep faster.

1. It is necessary to start putting the baby to bed when he shows signs of fatigue: he rubs his eyes and is naughty.

2. For a full-fledged daytime and nighttime sleep, it is important that the child is actively awake: talk to the baby, sing songs, tell little rhymes to evoke visual and auditory reactions. Provide him with the opportunity to move freely, lay him out on a wide sofa or on the floor, travel on your hands around the house, walk more in the fresh air.

3. Sing a lullaby as you put your baby to bed. The gentle gentle voice of his mother will calm him down and lull him to sleep. Wonderful lullaby songs on the website dreamsong.ru/video

4. Create a relaxing environment. Make it traditionally pleasant. The laying process should be the same every day. The repetition of events makes the baby feel secure.

5. The baby will fall asleep faster if the room is a little cool. It is desirable to maintain the temperature +18 ... +20 C, and humidity 45-60%. Ventilate the room well before going to bed. Do not wrap the baby, just periodically check if the nose and handles are warm.

6. When mom fails to lull the child, dad can help out here. Often fathers put their babies to bed faster, oddly enough, especially for daytime sleep. If your baby has colic, you can put his tummy on his chest or dad's stomach: he will warm up and fall asleep.

7. Relax during the day. Use the language of touch: stroke it, massage it, play it, carry it with you. Such gentle communication will give the baby a sense of security - it will allow him to sleep soundly at night.

8. Establish a daily routine for going to bed at night and strictly follow it. Let there be more pleasant processes for the baby. For example, evening bathing with relaxing foam, pine extract or sea salt, gentle touches of your hands during the massage. Well, how can you not fall asleep?

9. Be sure to put on a clean diaper and comfortable pajamas at night so that nothing disturbs your baby's sleep. Feed your baby before bed.

10. Don't listen to other moms tell you how great their babies sleep. All babies are different, each has its own temperament, each goes through the main periods of development in different ways: teething, mastering the skills of crawling, sitting, walking. Watch your baby, notice what your actions are best for helping him fall asleep, and you will become a real expert in this matter.

Good luck and sweet dreams to you and your baby!

“He refuses to go to bed”, “He is naughty, cries, says he wants to play”, “Demands to eat or drink, just not to go to bed”, “Each time the process of laying ends in hysterics,” parents say. Why is this happening? What prevents a child from adjusting to sleep and how can caring parents help?

✅ Why do children not like to sleep?

Where does the child's reluctance to go to sleep come from? American psychologist Alan Fromm proposes the following classification of causes:

1. For a child, going to bed means parting with some interesting activity or leaving a pleasant society (for example, working mom and dad).

2. Children know that adults have not yet gone to bed, and therefore they think that we are allowing ourselves something that they are not allowed to.

3. It often happens that children are not yet tired.

4. Sometimes children are afraid of the dark.

5. Perhaps the child had terrible dreams, and because of this, some dislike for sleep arose.

6. It is possible that by persuading the child to sleep, the adults spoiled him too much, and now this is a good reason to manipulate the parents.

✅ Signs of fatigue

It is very important to learn to notice the first signs of fatigue and fatigue, this will help to switch the child's attention and prevent overexcitation before bedtime. It's easy to do. If you have noted one or more of the following signs, your child most likely needs rest:

Unreasonable crying, whims;

The kid begins to rub his eyes, yawn;

Sucks a finger or a rattle, pulls a button, sucks his lip;

Violated coordination of movements, especially hands, the child drops toys, makes mistakes in the game;

Movement slows down, lethargy appears;

There are aggressive actions unusual for the child: he scatters or takes away toys, screams, falls to the floor, etc .;

There may be excessive activity, unusual for the baby: aimlessly runs, jumps, pushes.

As soon as you notice the appearance of these signs, it's time to distract the child and put him in a sleepy mood.

✅ Getting ready for bed

Bedtime is a good time to strengthen emotional closeness with your child. May it be enjoyable for both of you. Read a book to your baby, sing him a lullaby, give him a light massage, speak in a quiet and calm voice.

If the child is very emotional and active, use a short and simple phrase before bedtime, for example, "time to sleep." You may have to repeat it several times, but do it calmly, repeating in a neutral tone, without switching to command commands.

Give your child a toy "for good dreams." It can be a small soft toy (bear, bunny, dwarf, kitten, etc.). Tell your child that this toy will give him good and kind dreams. Take this toy with you when traveling, it's an easy way to give your little one a sense of security wherever they sleep.

Let your child take an active part in preparing for bed: choose a fairy tale, pajamas or a lullaby to listen to.

In order to prepare the child for sleep, you can also use "ritual games".

✅ "Sleep rituals"

It is often difficult for children to tear themselves away from their favorite game or watching TV when parents start talking about “it’s late and I need to sleep.” Therefore, so-called "sleeping rituals" can be used. On the one hand, they will calm the nervous system of the child, on the other hand, they will make the process of going to bed pleasant. These are quiet games and activities that should be daily, if possible, start at the same time and take no more than 30 minutes.

It is important to choose calm games so that emotional overexcitation does not occur. For a baby, this can be the same lullaby for the night. For children from one to three years old, you can use special games.

✔ For example, the game "Bear" (E.V. Larechina). The adult shows the movements, and the child repeats after him.

The clumsy bear walks through the forest.

Collects cones, sings songs. (Show how Mishka walks through the forest.)

Suddenly a bump fell, right on Mishka's forehead. (Right hand touch forehead.)

The bear got angry and kicked the top. (Stomp foot on the floor.)

I will no longer collect cones. (“Threaten” with a finger.)

I'll get in the car and go to bed. (Put palms together and place on cheek.)

✔ Game "Bunny" (L.A. Buldakova).

Pen - plop, another plop! The poor fell. (Alternately drop first one pen, then the other.)

As if the strings are hanging, like me, tired. (Easy shake hands, tired expression, sluggish - the whole body.)

Again, the bunny jumped and jumped, walks along the path. (Walk slowly across the floor.)

Together with him we will rest, rinse the legs. (Shake right, then left leg.)

We worked so hard with the bunny that we ourselves got tired.

Now let's go to rest, on my mother's knees. (Put the child on your knees and hug).

After such games, you can start cleaning toys, turning this process into a ritual game. You can say: "Toys are tired and want to sleep, we need to help them find their home."

In the process of preparing for bed, praise the baby for understanding that he needs to sleep, put away toys, etc.

For older children, reading a book together or having a quiet conversation before bed is a good idea. You can tell an "imaginary" story, giving you the opportunity to dream a little. Talk about a special place that your child is familiar with, such as a garden, clearing, or forest. Describe the place slowly, in a quiet and calm voice. Ask your child to close their eyes and try to imagine what you will be talking about. Talk about friendly animals, kind people, or wise men. When the child grows up, he will be able to continue the story himself.

After completing the ritual, calmly and firmly wish the child good night and leave the room.

Also try to follow rituals and bedtimes during travel, holidays, and when your child is sick. It is difficult for children to return to the established routine if it has been broken.

✔ Water games

Ritual games before going to bed can also be games with water. Water has a positive effect on the emotional state of the child. In contact with water, the child receives pleasant sensations. Many parents notice that when playing with water, children calm down and stop acting up. The sounds of running water have a beneficial effect, and playing with water relieves emotional stress.

You can use the following games:

✔ The game "Pour over". For this game you will need several cups and deep plates. Show your child how to draw water and pour it from one container to another. You can pour water into bowls from a small watering can, and then water the animals. Such games also develop coordination of movements and perseverance of the child.

✔ Game "Catch the ice". Dip a few ice cubes into a bowl of warm water and have your child catch them.

✔ Catch the toys game. Invite the child to throw toys into the water, and then catch them in different ways: with two fingers or with a sieve.

✔ Water mill game. Put the water mill in a bowl and show how to pour water on the blades of the mill to make them spin. Have the child place a bowl under the mill so that water gets in.

✅ Night awakenings

All children have night terrors and nightmares from time to time. Night terrors can disturb even a one-year-old baby. The reason for this is the vivid emotional impressions that children are subject to in the same way as adults. If a child screams or cries in the middle of the night, lie down next to him, hug him and hold him close to you. The night terrors usually go away with time.

Night terrors rarely overcome a child under three years of age. They differ from fears in that the child remembers the content of a nightmare. Pay attention to the content of cartoons, fairy tales and computer games. Avoid overload and overwork by observing the daily routine.

If a child has a nightmare, do not be afraid to talk about it, do not blame the child for making it all up. On the contrary, ask to tell your dream or draw, let the child throw out the tension.

If nightmares are regular, consult a psychologist and neurologist.

✅ How to teach a child to fall asleep on his own?

It is best to start teaching your child to fall asleep on their own at an early age. Sometimes put the baby in the crib while he is still awake, let him try to fall asleep on his own. At night, try not to take the child to your bed, but if necessary, go to him yourself.

After putting the child to bed, leave the room. If the child jumps up, lay him down again with the words: "Time to sleep." If after you leave the child gets up and starts crying, put him down again, repeating the phrase: "Time to sleep." Do not let your child seek entertainment in your company.

You can sit with the child until he falls asleep, but every evening increase the distance, moving further and further. For example, the first night you sit on the bed, the second night you sit on the chair next to the bed, the third night you sit on the chair at the end of the room, and so on. Finally, you find yourself at the door, then in the next room.

Try to put your baby to bed late to help him fall asleep faster, but gradually move the bedtime up to 15 minutes earlier each night until you reach an acceptable time.

So, to help your baby fall asleep, you can use the following tricks:

Set a bedtime and try to stick to it. Note signs of fatigue, if you miss this moment, the child will become overexcited and will have to be calmed down.

Establish a bedtime routine. Let this ritual be short - no more than 30 minutes. You can feed the child, then read a fairy tale or sing a song, change the child's clothes, then shake or massage.

Choose 1-2 games that your baby will like, they will be ritual games before bedtime.

You can give a soft toy that the child associates with sleep.

During the evening toilet, give the child the opportunity to play with water.

Good dreams to you and your baby!