BeFIT Resources

Fall Asleep Soundly in the Right Environment

If you haven’t already, establish a bedtime routine for the whole family. Allow plenty of time for stories, teeth brushing, changing and relaxing so that everyone is in bed at a decent time. Younger children will need earlier bedtimes than you and your older children.

According to the American Sleep Association, the sleep needs of toddlers, kids, and adults all differ greatly:

Toddlers & Preschoolers (ages 2-5): 10 to 12 hours each night, plus daily naps
Children (ages 7-12): 9 to 10.5 hours each night
Teenagers: 8 to 9.5 hours each night
Adults: 7 to 8.5 hours each night

Creating the right environment will help everyone fall asleep soundly. Get your bodies and minds in the habit of using your bedroom for sleeping. If your family members frequently sit in bed to pay your bills, do homework, watch television, eat, and talk on the phone, then your minds will expect that the bedroom is for daytime activities. Instead, create an environment that is suitable for sleeping. Equip your bedrooms with soft lighting, comfortable bedding, and relaxing music.

Other tricks include turning the temperature down a few notches, and turning the alarm clocks away from view. Recent studies reveal that watching your sleep time vanish into the morning hours only makes you more anxious and less able to fall asleep.