My oldest was 5 years old when she had her first night terror. We had recently moved to the US and she was settling in really well. Her first night terror completely took me and my hubby by surprise. Here was our little girl, who had never had any sleeping problems, suddenly waking up at night, screaming and not knowing where she was or even recognizing us. We were completely baffled to say the least.
So I did what any confused parent would do. I googled it. I found that what she was experiencing was night terrors and I decided to start implementing some of the suggestions that were offered. The first suggestion we implemented was to create a calmer bed time routine by removing all screen time at least 1 hour before bedtime. Secondly we started implementing guided meditation for kids to promote better and more relaxed sleep. To my absolute amazement, her night terrors completely stopped.
5 Years later and my kids absolutely love doing guided meditations every night at bedtime. This has helped them fall asleep incredibly easy and I find that they sleep much better and definitely sleeping deeper.
Here is a list of some of our favourite Guided Meditations for Kids:
Here is a list of action steps I have successfully implemented into my kids’ bedtime routine that has made a huge impact not only on their sleep, but on their health as well.
Calming and Relaxing Bedtime Routine for Kids that works
Diffuse Essential Oils before bedtime - Diffusing essential oils in my kids room before bedtime has been a complete game changer for us. Diffusing oils in their room helps create a calm and relaxing atmosphere and promotes better quality sleep, which is super important for growing and developing kids. One of our favourite sleep time diffuser blends is 2 drops Lavender, 2 drops Cederwood and 1 drop Wild Orange.
Relaxing bath time routine - another thing we have incorporated into our night time routine is taking a relaxing bath. I love adding a quarter cup of Epsom salts to the bath to promote detoxification and adding a couple of drops of lavender oil also helps relax their little bodies and is absolutely fantastic for their skins.
Dinner by 6 - an earlier dinner has done wonders for us. Not only are you allowing your body to properly digest your food before going to bed, but you are also giving your digestive system ample time to “rest” and in affect fasting while you sleep. I have found that my kids tend to sleep much deeper when they eat earlier in the evening.
Remove screen time before bed. I tend to be more lenient with this rule during the weekends, but during the week, I have the kids switch off all mobile devices about 2 hours before bed. This helps their brains wind down and has definitely helped get them to sleep much easier. The light from electronic devices can disrupt their body’s natural occurring circadian rhythm, increasing alertness and suppressing the release of the hormone melatonin, which is important for regulating their sleep-wake cycle. This is a great step to implement for adults too! And no devices charging in the bedroom at night.
Our favourite Sleep Diffuser Blends
Essential Oils have been an integral part in creating a great night time routine. One of the easiest ways to get started with using essential oils for your kids to improve their sleep, is by diffusing the oils in their bedrooms at night with a diffuser.
When diffusing oils in a child’s room, make sure it is well ventilated, and use less than you would for yourself. Start with 3 drops (in a babies room) and check in on the room to make sure the smell isn’t overpowering, add more if needed.
Baby’s Room Diffuser Blends
1 drop Lavender, 1 drop Roman Chamomile, 1 drop Juniper Berry
3 drops Peace
1 drop Lavender, 1 drop Vetiver, 1 drop Balance
1 drop Lavender, 1 drop Vetiver, 1 drop Frankincense
1 drop Roman Chamomile, 1 drop Vetiver, 1 drop Juniper
2 drops Balance, 1 drop Wild Orange
This is an awesome graphic of some of the blends we like to diffuse in the kid’s room. Make it fun bed time routine by getting the kids involved in brewing their own, special bedtime “potion”.
Mamas, what are some bedtime strategies have you implemented that are working for you?
Want to learn more about essential oils and how you can start using them in your home and for your family? Please go HERE.
