3 Steps To Recalibrate Bedtime Before School Starts
Ah, the holidays. We look forward to that well-deserved breather all year long. But then, once the tinsel comes down and the new year is sufficiently ushered in, reality waits just around the corner.
Neglected gym membership cards start glowering at you from your wallet (or at least it feels that way…), the office WhatsApp group starts beeping, and holiday-feral kids have to be corralled into their school time routines once more.
See, as fun (and necessary!) as it is to let loose over the holidays and spend some time outside of the confines of the clock, real-life does call for a bit more restraint. The good news is that recalibrating bedtime before school starts does not have to be a huge thing. Here are three steps you can take to make it easier on both you, and the kids:
Get them tired
Move, move and move some more! Go for walks, chase them around the house, build pillow forts, visit the park, go to the beach (if you’re lucky enough to be vacationing at the seaside). Whatever you do, make a point of creating opportunities for fun movement with your kiddos this holiday. The more tired they are, the easier they’ll fall asleep at night.
Feed them whole foods
Melatonin is a hormone associated with control of the sleep-wake cycle and is mainly excreted from the pineal gland in our brains, but also from our gut. This is why it is so important to look after your gut health and that of your children. It all starts with eating a variety of nutrient-rich whole foods like fresh fruit and vegetables, olive oil, nuts and fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir.
TOP TIP: Help your kids manage their blood sugar levels over the holidays by adding fat and protein to their snacks. For instance, you could add a yoghurt dipping sauce to strawberries or sliced peaches.
Manage their screen time
It can be very tempting to give children free rein with technology over the holidays. After all, when they are plugged into a TV show, playing a game or diving down a YouTube rabbit hole, they are far less likely to require entertainment from you. This is why so many kids are tech-dependent these days.
The flip side is that they battle to fall asleep at night because of all the blue light they are exposed to in the process. While removing tech from your kid’s holiday line-up is not all that simple, limiting it before bedtime is essential. Institute a family ‘phones down’ rule at least an hour before bedtime and stick to it.
TOP TIP: Put all your phones on charge in a communal spot, outside of your bedrooms, at night. Kids do not always have the restraint required to leave their phones alone at night, and can ‘rob’ themselves of vital sleep hours in the process. Of course, it also helps to disable the WiFi at night…
Now you know! Check back soon for more insider insights from the Bed King team. In the meantime, keep an eye on our Facebook page and Instagram profile to stay up to date with great deals, special offers and more!
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