Need a little help settling your kids at night? Dr Wong shares three easy tips to help you along:
#1: Stick to a consistent sleep routine
Good sleep habits, which include having a sleep schedule with regular naptimes and bedtimes, should be established from a young age. It is also important to try to keep similar sleep schedules for school days and non-school days, and be consistent in enforcing the same bedtime rules, especially if there is more than one caregiver for the child. For the best rest, keep your child’s bedroom dim, cool, quiet and comfortable, and avoid using the bed for punishment, schoolwork and activities other than sleep.
#2: Give your child regular exercise
The more active your child is during the day, the better sleep he/she gets during the night. It is recommended that kids get 60 or more minutes of physical activity per day, including playing at the playground, recess at school, as part of organised sports or physical activity classes. However, it doesn’t mean you should overtire your kid, which can actually make it harder for them to fall asleep. Learn to recognise when your child becomes too hyper – that means your toddler is too tired – so you can put him/her to bed before things get out of hand.
#3: A balanced diet for better sleep
Feed your children a variety of fruits and vegetables. It’s a great way to promote the health of their digestive system, reducing the chances of gut issues so they can sleep better at night. In fact, there’s growing evidence that indicates that sufficient nutrient consumption is important for sleep – a large study done on adults found that a lack of key nutrients like calcium, magnesium and vitamins A, C, D, E and K, are often associated with sleep problems.
Redeem a set of FRISO x Maison Q limited-edition sleepwear (worth $129) when you spend $200 on FRISO Gold products at leading supermarkets and online retailers, or at motherswork from Apr 1 to May 31. Excludes infant formula and follow-on formula products for 0-12 months. T&Cs may apply. Visit FRISO x Maison Q Sleepwear to find out more.
For more information about FRISO’s Good Sleep, Good Poop campaign, don’t forget to follow the #GoodPoopMattersBaby conversation on Instagram, Facebook and FRISO’s website.
You can also spread the word on the importance of good digestive health through updated FRISO Good Poop Matters, Baby! WhatsApp and Telegram sticker packs, featuring the three adorable champions of good poop – Super Pooper, Gutsy Gal and Poopoo Power.
¹ Excludes infant formula and follow-on formula products for 0-12 months.
² Smith RP, Easson C, Lyle SM, Kapoor R, Donnelly CP, Davidson EJ, et al. 2019. ‘Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans’. PLoS ONE. 14(10): e0222394.