A Bedtime Routine: Settling To Sleep Like A Charm

Author Name: Heidi Holvoet, PhD

A bedtime routine for your baby is a must-have. Fun and easy to do, the recognizable sleep routine effectively helps with winding down, self-soothing and sleeping through the night.

A bedtime routine or ritual is a set of actions and words you do with and say to your child at each bedtime.

Your baby's body and brain come to associate these with settling down and dozing off. Associations are of the most powerful tools to support sleep because that is how sleep works (at any age).

Good bedtime routines (see below) are simple and recognizable, calm and pleasant, and you're consistent with it.

You can start this from the first weeks with your newborn baby and you'll continue to do it with your baby as they grow and to help your toddler sleep well.

Your baby's bedtime routine will evolve as they grow.

Easy settling with a routine is just as valuable for growing up kids and adults.

It is one of the many things we know from sleep research. The anecdote in the box on this page says it all.

An example of a before-bed routine

One simple example, your winding down bedtime ritual could be like this:

This is just one, typical, bedtime routine but it can be any set of similar quiet things you and your little one like to do.

A good bedtime routine is ...

1. Always the same
   
   Since your little one must recognize the pattern, it must naturally be the same each time. Hmm, I even sang exactly the same lullaby for almost a year (because it worked ... so why change a winning team ;))
   
   You can of course vary with different lullaby songs, as long as the routine is recognizable to your baby.
2. Not too long, not too short
   
   Too short and your baby won't easily recognize the pattern.
   
   Too long and getting baby to bed becomes a chore.
3. Relaxing and pleasant for baby and for you
   
   Make the bedtime routine a quiet moment you can both enjoy.
   
   Hugging and holding your baby close, talking and singing softly, etc. It helps you both wind down and relax and leaves your baby feeling relaxed and ready for sleep.
4. Guided by you, without hesitating
   
   Also here, be determined. You'll want a clear ending to the routine , don't let your child stretch it. As your baby grows into toddlerhood, they'll love to try and extend this pleasant time. Saying goodnight to another toy. And another one. Asking for a second song, another book, etc.
   
   If you go along in this, it becomes more difficult to end the routine and start them sleeping. Avoid giving choices as well, like choosing the lullaby. It can take a looooong time before you agree on a song.
   
   Any thing your toddler asks about, simply tell them "yes, we'll do that later on/tomorrow", and finish the routine as usual. Still fun, but no distractions.
   
   Of course also here you can experiment, and by all means include more flexibility if your baby still settles well .

A bedtime routine is the best start of any nap and night . The recognizable cues help your baby, also physically, get ready for sleep - this is how sleep works.

There's never any magic of course, and having a routine is not a guarantee that your baby will sleep. But it is one of the crucial must-haves toward the best sleep they can have right now.