We all know that getting enough sleep is important for our wellbeing. School-aged tamariki need around 10 hours of sleep per night. Our Mana Ake team has pulled together some top tips to help you around sleep for your young people.

1 Create a regular routine: 

It’s important for kids to have enough ‘wind down’ time before heading off to bed, as this will improve their body’s ability to fall asleep quickly, and to stay asleep during the night. The goal of creating a regular bedtime routine is to build consistency, which will train their bodies for sleep and will provide energy for the next day. 

Some ideas for creating a regular routine could be:

Decide on a set bedtime with your child. Our brains start to wind down for sleep a few hours before bedtime, so creating and sticking to a regular bedtime will help to train your child’s brain to naturally feel tired just before bed.Take a warm bath. This can support your body and mind in winding down andpreparing for sleep.  Listen to music. Many people find listening to relaxing music before bed helps the mind and body to calm down.Engage in stretching and breathing techniques. Relaxation techniques such asdeep breathing or stretching can support your body in letting go of physical and mental tension, helping your mind and body to relax

2 Get enough sun and play during the day:

Regular movement is a good idea to help with good sleep for your tamariki, but try settle them down before sleep in the late afternoon and evening by avoiding strenuous movement in the 4 hours before bedtime. Some ideas could be:Go swimming at New Brighton Beach. Go for a walk or bike around Bottle Lake forest or down to your local park.Have a dance party in your own backyard or driveway.Create an obstacle course for your tamariki tocomplete.Go out and kick, hit, or throw a ball around – whichever you prefer.Tap into the imagination your child has by creating worlds with them they can play in.However you play, move and get outside it will help tire out your children when it comes time to settling down.

3 Connect before bed: 

Try your best to unplug the devices an hour before bedtime for the little ones. You've probably heard this a million times but screens and sleep are incompatible. This time could be used as a special 1-1 time for you and your child. Spend time reading stories or making up stories or use it as a time for your child to talk about their day where they can tell you all their stories that haven’t had a chance to tell you.

4 Create a sleep-friendly bedroom:

Create a bedroom that feels like a relaxing place you can associate with sleep. The space should be quiet, warm, and dark (although anight-light might help them feel safe!). Work with your child to implement things that might support sleep and take away things that might distract or hinder sleep. Introduce a security ‘toy’, special item, or cuddly blanket that helps them sleep. Listen to their ideas and make their bedroom an awesome space to get a night’s rest.

5 Consider the kai

What we eat during the day and before bed can have a big impact on how well we sleep.  Avoid having a meal within 1-2 hours of going to sleep. However, a light snack or milky drinkmay help some children. Avoid caffeine (especially in the afternoon/ evening).  

Check out this sparklers resource for some further information:

https://sparklers.org.nz/media/documents/2-How_to_help_your_kids..._sleep.pdf