Everyone knows that sleep is a vital part of functioning on a basic level. When we don’t get enough sleep, our brain and body begin to shut down and everything else around us begins to suffer.

Without the proper amount of sleep, our responses slow, our mind stumbles and swaggers. Our mood suffers, our anxiety increases and we lose energy.

For children, sleep is especially integral to not only their ability to function, but their mental and physical development. Childhood is a stage where the body and brain are still developing, creating the person we are to become. Without the proper amount of rest, children can develop behavioral problems, mood swings and anxiety.

Most parents know that children are not very receptive to bedtime, which forces a battle between a resistant child and a parent who knows her child needs all the sleep he can get.

The differences between preschool children and school-aged children are not considerable, but the approach is definitely different.

Here are some tips on improving your preschooler’s sleep at night.

• Sustain a habitual and consistent sleep schedule.

• Create a peaceful bedtime routine that ultimately comes to a close in their bedroom.

• Insist your child sleeps in his or her room every night, without fail.

• Make sure your child’s room is cool, quiet and dark.

• Do not allow a TV in your child’s room as it can cause opposition to sleep.

Children ages 3-5 should ideally have 11-13 hours of restful sleep each night.

Putting your school-aged children to sleep could be a great deal more difficult, as kids fear they might be missing out on something or want to feel like “big kids” who don’t need as much sleep. However, children ages 5-12 still need 10-11 hours of sleep per night.

Sleeping issues and disorders are customary at these ages, so it is important to stave off anything that might cause a disruption in sleep or battling bedtime.

Talking to your children about the value of a good bedtime schedule may be helpful. Children respond to taking on responsibilities and it might be a good idea to allow them to understand the importance of taking care of themselves as “big kids” do.

In addition, here are some tips to helping your school-aged kids sleep soundly each night.

• Avoid caffeine and sugar! Tea, chocolate, Gatorade, soda- all these should be off-limits.

• If a bedtime snack is necessary, make it light to avoid heavy digestion.

• Encourage reading before bedtime, it will quiet the mind and lighten the mood.

• As with toddlers, create a cool, quiet, dark room void of distractions.

• Do not allow TVs or computers in your child’s room; The temptation is too great.

• Place a sound machine in the room with soothing and relaxing sounds such as ocean waves.

Once a parent gets his or her child in a routine, it should be fairly easy to keep your child in his room and learn the importance of a good night’s sleep. Parents can help keeping the child asleep by quieting TVs, dimming lights, and keeping conversation and other noises low.

Follow these tips and bedtime should become a cinch!

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