As many parents are well aware, it’s already often a challenge to get little ones to go to bed even when they’re perfectly healthy. When they’re coughing, sneezing or just feeling under the weather, however, it’s an entirely different story. It might feel like a challenge to help your child actually manage to fall asleep and get a good night’s rest when they’ve been sick even if you’ve stocked up on Wellements children’s cough and mucus syrup or Wellements nighttime cough syrup, but thankfully, there are some tips and tricks it’s likely you may not have tried yet. For a good night’s rest for both you and your child, consider using these ideas the next time your little one isn’t feeling their best at bedtime.
Help Kids To Unwind Before Bedtime and Turn Energy Levels Down
Even a sick child can still be full of energy and restlessness, making bedtime even tougher. A good way to help turn the energy down and start preparing your child for bed is to go through a relaxing routine to help them unwind. For example, a warm bath followed by a little aromatherapy or a bedtime story could potentially work wonders. If you’ve been scrolling through Wellements reviews, you could also ask your doctor whether adding holistic supplements would be helpful, too.
Make Their Environment As Cozy As Possible
Another factor that can help your kid relax and feel calm enough for sleep is a soothing, cozy environment where they feel nice and safe. You can adjust their room in a number of quick ways, including:
- Adjust the room temperature based on whether they’re feeling too hot or too cold
- Install a humidifier near the bed to soothe coughs and aching throats
- Use a plug-in air freshener to make the room smell like their favorite scent
- Make sure they have their favorite stuffed animals and other toys nearby
Provide Them With Hydration and Warm Snacks Before Bed
Many parents have had the experience of tucking a child into bed and assuming that they would then fall right asleep, only to have the child leave the room a few minutes later requesting snacks, water and a number of other food and drink items. To prevent this and to help your kid stay in bed, thereby giving them the best chance at actually falling asleep quickly, try providing them with hydration and warm snacks before tucking them in. Popular options include warm milk or tea with honey to soothe the throat, as well as a piece of hot toast with butter to settle the stomach.
It’s already a tough proposition to get your child to sleep when they’re restless, excited or simply don’t want to go to bed yet. It’s even tougher when the child is sick and sneezing, coughing or worse. However, your child needs quality sleep in order for their body to recover and for them to start feeling better, so it’s absolutely imperative that they get much-needed shut-eye. If you feel like you’ve tried just about everything, consider working these ideas into your little one’s nighttime routine the next time they have a serious case of the sniffles, so they can get the rest they need (and you can, too!).
First image: Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash