While spending your me-time this way is tempting, quality rest starts with closing your eyes instead of scrolling through socials.
Blackout curtains can prevent children from waking up early, especially in summer when daylight lasts longer. If they’re afraid of the dark, use a very dim nightlight in red or orange tones, which interfere less with melatonin than blue or white light.
Managing Sound
The noise inside and around your home can affect how well adults and children rest. While asleep, your brain continues to process sounds, so background noise may disrupt your natural sleep cycle. This can lead to lighter sleep instead of the deeper, restorative stages your body needs.
White noise machines or steady sounds, like a fan, can help mask street noise or household disturbances. The consistency of these sounds can also lull you to sleep. However, one study found that some machines can be too loud for infants and even adults. If you use one, place it away from the head of the bed and keep the volume no higher than a soft shower.
You might also try pink noise or ambient sounds. These use deeper and lower-frequency tones that may support more restful sleep for both you and your baby.
Your Sleep Matters, Too
It’s natural for parents to want the best sleep for their kids while ignoring that they need rest, too. Poor-quality sleep can reduce your patience, decision-making ability and reaction time, all of which are important in keeping your children happy and healthy. If possible, coordinate your rest periods with your child’s naps in the early months. Even short sessions can reduce sleep debt. The laundry and dishes can wait.
By making deliberate choices about temperature, light, sound, air quality and routines, you can create bedrooms that encourage rest for both you and your children. These spaces won’t eliminate every nighttime wake-up – especially in the early months – but they will make it easier for everyone to return to sleep and start each day with more energy.
Jane Marsh is the founder and editor-in-chief of Environment.co where she shares practical tips on how to live a greener life.
