January 20, 2022

 

Are you trying to incorporate healthy bedtime habits into family routines? Is this a struggle you never thought you had to deal with? Fortunately, there are many options for healthy, fun, and productive bedtime routines. Creating a healthy bedtime routine should include bedtime exercises to debrief from our day and prepare our bodies, minds, and souls for the healing process that comes along with proper sleep. A bedtime routine starts with a nutritious dinner that helps families sleep well. Following dinner, a healthy routine of hygiene habits such as brushing our teeth, and bathing is important.

Creating a wind-down and bedtime routine for your family is important for a positive family dynamic. Families are eating and winding down later and later as technology becomes the focus of our lives. Remove the television and electronics for our healthy family wind-down and bedtime routine. The environment you create as a parent for your family will help create a safe space and wind-down environment.

Here are a few tasks to consider when creating your wind-down routine after dinner. This routine should not take more than two hours including.

  • Hygiene: Create a hygiene routine for bathing and brushing teeth (30-45 minutes per child)
  • Exercise: Develop a set of bedtime exercises such as Yoga poses, breathing exercises, and stretching. Practice this every night for about 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Story time: Take about 10 to 15 minutes to read a book, look at art work, or debrief on the day as a family or with each child individually.
  • Positive mindset: Teach your child how to be intentional with goal setting. Depending on your family’s traditions this might include prayer, manifestations or sharing things they are grateful for. This healthy behavior will help kids understand the importance of valuing what they believe and what goals they're interested in accomplishing. 

These tips are a great foundation to implement a healthy nighttime routine. Research shows that developing routines and getting a good night's sleep is important for our productivity the next day.

For more useful information on how to produce healthy sleeping routine habits please visit the resources below.