The 10-minute practice for helping your overtired child fall asleep
When children are overtired, falling asleep becomes a struggle. Their sleep duration may be significantly shorter, and they may wake up frequently and urgently. Sometimes overtiredness is unavoidable, and your child’s sleep may suffer. I have a 10-minute practice you can do to help your child relax when they are overtired.
Who is this for?
Parents who have children under 4 years old who struggle to sleep when they’re overtired.
Parents whose children have an intense sleep personality. (Take my sleep personality quiz HERE.)
What you’ll learn
My 10-minute practice to help your child relax and unwind, making sleep so much easier for them and less stressful for you.
Let me introduce my unique 10-minute practice that you can incorporate before your regular sleep routine. By following these steps, you can help their overtired child relax, resulting in an easier transition into a peaceful slumber.
Let me introduce my 10-minute practice that you can easily incorporate before your regular sleep routine.
Step 1: Communication
Before beginning the routine, it’s important to let your child know that upcoming activities will soon conclude. This gentle warning prepares them for the transition, avoiding any sudden surprises. This step is very important if you have a toddler or a preschooler.
Step 2: Pick Up Your Child
Once toys are tidied away, pick up your child. This physical contact provides comfort and a sense of security.
Step 3: Slow Rhythmic Walk
Take a slow and rhythmic walk around your home. Engage your child by pointing out interesting pictures on the walls and what’s out the windows. A soothing, back-and-forth sway accompanying these pauses can provide a sense of relaxation.
Step 4: Calm and Soothing Voice
Maintaining a slow, calm, and quiet tone as you walk and talk. Narrate your surroundings, describing what you see and what you both may experience next. Incorporating yawns into your dialogue helps create a relaxed atmosphere.
Step 5: Complete the 10-Minute Practice
Continue walking, talking, and yawning as you explore different areas of your home. The calming walk ends when you enter the bedroom, but don’t set your child down just yet. Prepare the bedroom while still holding your child. Take a few moments to prepare the bedroom. Dim the lights, close the curtains, and create a calming environment. Maintaining physical contact and talking to your child during this process can further contribute to their relaxation.
When you’re ready to set your child down, go through the rest of your sleep routine as usual. You can shorten the duration of each step, consistency in the routine is crucial. Read, sing, and talk to your child slowly and calmly, incorporating yawns at intervals to enhance relaxation.
By incorporating this 10-minute practice into your sleep routine when your child is overtired, parents can create a sense of calmness and relaxation. This approach preserves the consistency of the sleep routine while helping your child ease into a peaceful sleep.
Remember, rushing through the routine or completely disregarding it may lead to further confusion and difficulty falling asleep. Instead, invest those 10 minutes in implementing this powerful technique and witness the positive effects on your child’s sleep. By implementing these easy-to-follow steps, parents can transform bedtime from a stressful experience to a tranquil journey to dreamland.
