Toddlers usually take 20-30 minutes to fall asleep after going to bed. It’s an average of the studies undertaken on toddlers. But how long it will take for a toddler to get asleep depends on a few things.
How active your toddler is throughout the day, whether they are taking their meals on time and in right amounts, when and how much they sleep for the daytime naps— these all are factors that lead how long your little will take to fall asleep.
With a consistent sleep routine and a few tricks, you can still reshape your toddler’s sleep pattern and get them to sleep throughout the whole night.
1. Start With the Sleep Training at an Early Age
Infant Sleep Training includes some methods to help you shape your baby’s sleeping pattern. It’s a crucial part of disciplining your child. According to experts and pediatricians, parents should start sleep training their children from a very early age. To be specific the suitable time to start is at their three to four months of age.
Part of this sleep training is also adjusting your baby’s naptime according to their age and personal need of sleep. Younger toddlers aged between 12-24 months, usually need 11-14 hours of total sleep. It includes one or two naps. After 18 months, most toddlers condense into one.
Whether it’s one nap or two for your child. To get him to sleep through the night, make sure that they don’t get a nap after 2p.m. So, there’s plenty of time left to get tired and fall asleep at the right time.
2. Spot and Eliminate Sleep Regressions
Toddlers sometimes awaken from deep sleep without even realizing it themselves. It can happen for multiple reasons due to their psychological development. But if you notice any other disturbance, then probably it’s for sleep regression.
Sleep regression refers to the changes in sleeping routine or sleeping environment. It can be an uncomfortable pillow, or maybe the transition to his new room. Spot the cause of sleep regression and solve it right away.
If it’s the pillow, replace it with organic toddler pillow. If it’s the bed then change the crib. And if it’s about the transition, then check on them frequently so their anxiety level drops and help them sleep better.
3. No Screen Time Before Bed
It’s almost impossible to totally detach your toddlers from any type of screen. You just have to allow them some screen time. That’s okay. But, adjust the routine for his TV shows, Mobile Games, or any other gaming console they have been used.
Don’t let them use any screens 1-2 hours prior to their sleep time. Since you might have already known, blue light from screens suppresses the melatonin levels. It can delay your kid’s sleepiness and keep them awake longer in the night.
Moreover, what they are watching on the screen might affect their subconscious mind while sleeping. For instance. Scary movies might create fear and lead to having nightmares.
4. Add Some Extra Steps in Their Pre-Bedtime Routine
Adding up some extra steps in your toddler’s Pre-Bedtime Routine can help more than you think. You can allocate those steps according to your house rules. For example, you can include a warm bath, brushing teeth, praying or meditating for a while, listening to soft music or simply white noise and preparing the bed with your kid.
These steps will save a lot of unnecessary drama as performing these steps consistently everyday will give a signal to your toddler’s brain. And they will unknowingly get prepared to sleep at the right time everyday.
5. Cut Out Any Distraction for Sleep
Some toddlers naturally have deep sleep. But most others have light sleep and tend to awaken easily. If you have the second type of baby, then you need to heed upon any distraction around your little one while sleeping.
For example, ticking clocks, bird chirping at dawn, morning light coming from the window, nightlights or etc. are the possible distraction around your kid.
However, for different kids, the source of distraction can vary. So find it out and cut it off to get your honey bun to sleep peacefully through the night.
6. Adjust to a Good Sleeping Environment
Too hot or too cold can keep your baby awake. So always check the temperature and air flow in your baby’s room. And fix it before bedtime.
Create a calming and soothing sleeping environment for your little one to sleep. Although complete darkness is the best environment for sleeping. But if your toddler seems to have bedtime fear, then you can use a warm color dim light in his room.
Keep on checking that your toddler’s bed comes in the right size with utmost comfort. In case you are searching for one, check out these awesome beds for 3 years old toddlers.
7. Reassure Your Toddler without Getting Engaged
Right after the transition to a new room, many toddlers suffer from separation anxiety for quite a while. If you have twins or other similar age siblings then, you are not supposed to deal with it while shifting the twin bed for your toddlers into another room. Because they have each other.
But, a single child often feels lonely right after the transition. If your baby awakens and starts to cry or wants to get back in your room, get a hold on yourself first. Of course it will be hard but reassure your baby with sweet words and get them back to their room.
Hug him, say it’s going to be okay, if it helps give them comforting lovies. But, don’t lengthen your conversation as it might get them completely out of the sleepiness and keep them awake for the rest of the night.
Final Words
It takes quite a lot of efforts and sleepless nights to shape up your toddler’s sleep pattern at night. Every mother has some unique techniques to get their troubling toddlers to sleep through the night.
Share with us what technique you are applying. And if you have found our tips helpful let us know your feedbacks after implementing them
