How to get your Child to Sleep – Naturally

by Tina Allen, LMT, CPMMT, CPMT, CIMT
Updated December 2007

One first step in helping your child get to sleep is to have a regular relaxing bedtime routine or ritual. This can help your child to both mentally and physically prepare for dream time. You might try a warm bath followed by a bedtime story or a nighttime meditation that you read to your child to help him relax and get ready for sleep.

It is important to give your child plenty of time for his bedtime ritual. This way you both avoid feeling rushed, anxious or stressed. Try to make your child’s personal bedtime ritual as comfortable and relaxing as possible.

In addition, many natural therapies have been shown to relax children and help them to calmly go to sleep.
 

• Touch can be a soothing tool. Without any doubt, you do not need to be a professional massage therapist to provide your child with the gentle strokes he needs. By providing a nurturing massage you will ease sore muscles and encourage relaxation. You can use any natural oil for your massage. If you have it at home, you might try grape seed oil or olive oil. Both of which are safe to be ingested if your little guy touches his mouth.
   

• You may also try creating an herbal packed sleep sachet. To create a relaxing sachet, place a half cup each of chamomile flowers, lavender flowers, lemon balm and rosebuds into a small cloth and tie closed. Then place this sachet inside your child’s pillowcase just before bedtime.
   

• For years, parents have tried a cup of warmed milk to soothe their child at bedtime, but many have found that a cup of sweetened chamomile tea can be much more effective and really do the trick.
   

• A warm bath with a couple drops of lavender oil has soothing and calming effects (it is not recommended that you use essential oils with children under 3 months of age. If you are unsure if you should use essential oils, consult your child’s physician.
  
   

• Soothing music can also help a child relax and prepare for sleep. Before bedtime, ask your child to help you select their favorite bedtime music so they feel comfortable and empowered to have played a role in creating their own unique bedtime ritual.

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