Create A Safe Sleeping Environment in Childcare
Oct 25, 2018by editorial team
Creating a healthy, safe sleeping environment is an important part of childcare and adult self-care. However, it's becoming difficult to create.
Technology may be affecting our sleep patterns. Since technology use has increased over the years, creating a healthy safe place to sleep has become a challenge.
30% of pre-school children and 50-90% of school-aged children are getting insufficient sleep.
According to researchers at Penn State, this is partially due to the widespread use of screen-based media around bedtime.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control has found that:
1 in 3 adults don't get enough sleep
If you are a parent or a preschool teacher dealing with naptime or nighttime struggles, check out these tips for creating a safe sleeping environment in childcare or at home.
Benefits of Creating a Safe Sleeping Environment in Childcare
Electronic devices emit blue light which shuts down the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. If children or adults check their phone or watch TV right before bed, they may have a harder time dozing off.
In addition, using electronic devices before bedtime can make children and adults feel stressed.
For example, anxiously awaiting messages from friends may keep children and adults awake. They may feel they will miss something if they fall asleep. Children could also be reminded about stressful events at school and stay up feeling anxious.
The biggest benefit of creating a safe, tech-free sleep environment is preventing the problems that may arise from the lack of sufficient sleep.
Researchers at Penn State warn parents that if an adolescent is exhibiting behavioral problems or experiencing mood swings, insufficient sleep might be to blame.
Focusing on school work and extracurriculars may become harder with less sleep. In addition, your child may become irritable and anxious even if things are going well.
How to Create a Tech-free Sleep Environment for Your Child
1. Set strict technology rules
“No devices in bed” is a good rule of thumb to start with. If you or your child has a TV in their bedroom, consider moving it to a family area instead.
You could also limit the use of screen-based devices an hour or two before bedtime.
2. Talk to your children about the effects of technology
Having strict rules can be counterproductive if your children don’t understand why they exist.
Talk to children about the possible harmful effects of technology. Consider asking thought-provoking questions, such as "why do you want to bring your device to bed?"
If children understand the potential effects, they may be less likely to try to sneak devices into their bedroom or stay awake from anxiety.
3. Follow your own rules
The potentially harmful effects of technology in bed are not limited to children. They may affect adults, too.
Following your own rules may cause your child to respect the rules. In addition, you may create a better sleep environment for yourself as well.
Final Thoughts
Creating a safe sleeping environment in childcare means ensuring that your child’s bedtime routine remains tech-free.
If you would like to learn more about how technology may affect our health, check out our Ultimate 21 Day Digital Detox program.
It will help you understand the effects of technology on your children and give you the tips and support you need to live with technology in a healthy, balanced way.
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