March is Sleep Month
March is recognised as National Sleep Awareness Month, a time to highlight the importance of sleep for people of all ages. At Back to the Garden Childcare, we understand that sleep plays a vital role in children’s growth, learning, and overall wellbeing. We also know that getting enough rest can sometimes be a challenge, both at home and in nursery settings.
To support families in fostering healthy sleep habits, we’ve created a special sleep playlist and sleep stories designed to help little ones wind down. You can also check out our reel on sleep at nursery, where we share how we create a calm and restful environment for children during the day.
To delve deeper into the science of sleep in early childhood, we spoke to Lisa Foster, a certified Sleep Nanny consultant with 25 years of experience in Early Years and child development. She has extensive training in sleep science and has supported hundreds of families in establishing healthy sleep routines. Sleep Nanny Lisa answers some of the most common sleep-related questions parents ask.
How important is sleep in the early years, and what role does it play in a child’s development? Does sleep evolve from infancy to preschool age?
To me, sleep is the most important factor in children’s development and health, indeed for anyone. We cannot thrive and reach our potential without it. Sleep is a brain detox. It helps children grow (growth hormones are secreted during sleep), regulate their emotions, consolidate memories and learning, strengthen their immune systems, improve mood and behaviour, and help them be ready to engage in play.
Having a good foundation and routine with sleep as soon as you can will benefit everyone going forward. Once a strong routine is in place, any hiccups like illness, holidays, or clock changes can easily be negotiated as they will have the solid base to go back to.
I have looked after over 200 children in my 25-year career in Early Years, and without fail, children who don’t sleep well struggle with play, social interactions, their emotions, transitions, and keeping pace with their peers.
Let’s talk about naps – will a nap affect a child’s evening sleep? How important are they? When is the best time to drop them?
Naps are very important. The biggest myth is that if a child doesn’t sleep during the day, they will sleep better at night. A tired child doesn’t sleep well. Once their body needs sleep and they don’t get it, the stress hormone cortisol is released to help the body stay awake. Often parents tell me their child is hyper at night, running around the house – this is their second wind where cortisol has been released. This makes it almost impossible for the child to wind down and fall asleep. I advise wake windows – the amount of time a child is awake between naps and/or bedtime. They are not set in stone, and each child will have their own unique timing, but generally speaking, children fall into categories depending on their age. For example, a six-month-old may only be able to last two hours between naps before becoming ‘overtired’, whereas a two-year-old can last 4-5 hours.
Whenever I work with families who are struggling, the first thing I look at is daytime naps – making sure they are long enough and placed correctly throughout the day.
Most children have dropped their naps completely by 3 or 3.5 years. Most children are down to one nap around 18 months, but every child is different, and of course, it depends on the quality of their nighttime sleep.
What are some key signs that a child needs a nap? What happens when they miss one?
As previously stated, working with wake windows that are appropriate for your child’s age takes the guesswork out of naps. There are tired signs to look out for, e.g. glazed eyes, rubbing eyes. If your little one is yawning or crying because they are tired, I would suggest bringing nap time earlier.
If you miss the cue or leave it too late, you could have a battle on your hands. The best place for your little one to nap is in their own sleep space, but if they are struggling, a motion nap in the pram or car is better than no nap.
What is your ultimate bedtime ritual for a child to wind down for sleep? (And what should be avoided?)
Bedtime routine – If there’s an issue with getting your child to sleep at night, a solid, predictable bedtime routine is key. Depending on their age: a snack or milk, bath (it doesn’t have to be every night, but a warm bath does help regulate body temperature, gives you some quality time together, and signals to your little one that bedtime is coming), teeth and PJs, one book (because they will always want more, and this is easy to understand for under 2s), cuddles, and then lights out.
Avoid screen time at least an hour before bedtime as blue light affects the production of melatonin – the sleepy hormone. Calm activities like jigsaws, colouring, chats, and massages can really help children wind down. Avoid big meals an hour before bed too. Snacks like bananas, milk, yoghurt, cheese, and cherries contain tryptophan, an amino acid that helps us feel drowsy.
What do you recommend for children who wake during the night?
Every family and child is different, so it’s important to work out why your little one is waking. Is it hunger, habit, do they need comforting, or are they uncomfortable? Having a plan in place and sticking to it is what will help. Children love predictability and routine. They need to know they will get the same response from you no matter what. If sometimes you feed them, sometimes you rock them, and sometimes you bring them into your bed, they are not getting consistent messages and become confused and insecure.
How do you support parents in your work?
I frequently work with parents experiencing significant sleep deprivation and emotional distress. These parents often find themselves entangled in unhelpful sleep habits and struggle to see a path forward. While many possess the fundamental knowledge to support their child’s sleep, they are often hindered by anxieties and concerns regarding the child’s reaction to change.
I work on their mindset, how it is best for everyone for healthy sleep to become the norm in their family. I discuss at length routine, the child’s personality, methods we could use, and how to implement changes. I keep parents accountable and keep them moving forward.
How might the clocks going forward affect sleep and do you have any tips to help a child cope with the change?
- From Wednesday evening bring bedtime earlier by 15 minutes each night until Saturday. By then, your child will be going to bed 1 hour earlier each night so when the clock jumps forward, they will be back to their usual routine/ timings.
- Bring bedtime back by 30 minutes on Friday and Saturday night. Again, they will then be going to bed an hour earlier, in preparation for the clock change.
- Bring bedtime an hour earlier on Saturday night. This is best done with children who are not sensitive to change or older children.
- Do nothing – this works well if you have an early riser. For example, if your child has got into the habit of waking at 5.30am, it will now be 6.30am – magic!
Older children will cope better with the clock change, so letting them ride it out over the 2 weeks following the time change, is an option.
If you use the first 2 options, remember to move snacks, naps and meals by the same amount.
It’s also a good time to check how dark your curtains and blinds are. Lighter mornings and evenings can disrupt bedtimes and morning timings.
Good luck and remember it can still take up to 7-10 days for them to adjust fully.
If you would like some advice, message Lisa or email her: [email protected]
For more information about Lisa and her services, please visit:
Website: lisafoster.sleepnanny.co.uk
Instagram: @sleepnannylisafoster
Free Sleep Plan: Sleep Nanny Free Plan
SOS Call: Schedule a Call
Discounted Package: £100 Off Package
Free sleep quiz: https://sleepnanny.typeform.com/to/heoEBKp6
Lisa also hosts a workshop every first Saturday of the month at John Lewis Cheadle.
Feel free to reach out to Lisa through these channels for personalised support in achieving better sleep for your family.
Final Thoughts From Us
We wanted to say a huge thank you to Lisa for taking the time to answer our questions. At Back to the Garden Childcare, we believe that sleep is fundamental to children’s happiness and development too. That’s why we created our Sleep Stories, original stories recorded professional to soothe your child and a specially curated Sleep playlist, designed to create a peaceful bedtime experience. You can also check out our Instagram reel on sleep at nursery for insights into how we help children feel rested throughout the day.
Useful links:
Sleep Stories Playlist: Back to the Garden Sleep Stories
Back to the Garden Childcare Website: https://www.backtothegardenchildcare.com
Back to the Garden LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/back-to-the-garden-childcare/
