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A Bedtime Routine for Your School-Aged Child

A Cosy Bedtime Routine for Your School-Aged Child

Bedtime should be a calm, cosy, and predictable time for children, helping them unwind from the day and settle in for a good night’s sleep. But in reality, it can often feel like a battle—whether it’s screens keeping them awake, bedtime worries creeping in, or just struggling to switch off.

If your child is restless at bedtime or wakes up groggy in the morning, a structured, gentle bedtime routine can make all the difference.

Here’s how to set up a relaxing evening routine that works.

bedtime routine

Screens & Bedtime: When to Switch Off?

Why It Matters: While blue light has long been blamed for sleep problems, the latest research suggests it’s not the light itself—it’s how screens keep children engaged, alert, and awake long past their natural bedtime.

What the Research Says:

  • The more time children spend on screens before bed, the later their bedtime shifts and the less sleep they get overall.
  • Scrolling, gaming, and social media keep the brain in a high-alert state, making it harder to wind down.
  • Keeping a phone on at night—especially with notifications active—leads to disrupted sleep and poorer sleep quality.

What Parents Can Do:

  • Set a screen curfew – ideally one hour before bed.
  • Keep phones and tablets out of the bedroom overnight.
  • Swap screens for quiet activities – like reading, colouring, or a chat about the day.

Tip: Netflix, YouTube, and TikTok can be particularly tricky as they encourage endless scrolling. Try using a timer or ‘wind-down’ mode to help your child log off.

screens prevent sleep

Helping an Anxious Child Wind Down

Why It Matters: Some children struggle to switch off because of worries and racing thoughts. If your child gets anxious at bedtime, their brain stays in high-alert mode, making it difficult to relax.

What Helps:

  • Have a worry journal – let them write or draw any worries before bed.
  • Set up a worry time earlier in the evening – so bedtime isn’t spent overthinking.
  • Teach calm breathing techniques – try 3-4-5 breathing (inhale for 3, hold for 4, exhale for 5).
  • Try mindfulness or gentle yoga – even a few minutes can make a big difference.

relaxing to help anxiety sleep issues in children

What & When Should Children Eat Before Bed?

Why It Matters: Eating too close to bedtime can cause restless sleep, while certain foods help promote relaxation.

What to Do:

  • Last big meal – at least 2 hours before bed.
  • Good bedtime snacks – a banana with peanut butter, warm milk, or yoghurt.
  • Avoid sugary foods & caffeine – including chocolate, fizzy drinks, and tea!

how caffeine affects sleep

Exercise & Sleep: Getting the Balance Right

Why It Matters: Regular movement helps burn off excess energy and promotes deeper, more restorative sleep. Engaging in physical activity earlier in the day is ideal, as exercising too close to bedtime can stimulate the body and make it harder to fall asleep. Ideally, it’s best to stop exercising 2 hours before bedtime.

What Helps:

  • Encourage outdoor play or exercise in the afternoon.
  • Avoid high-energy activities 2 hours before bed.
  • Try gentle stretching or relaxation exercises before sleep.

bedtime routine

Making the Bedroom Sleep-Friendly

Why It Matters: A cluttered, bright, or noisy bedroom can make it harder for children to settle. A cosy, calming space tells their brain it’s time to switch off.

Simple Fixes for a Sleep-Friendly Bedroom:

  • Dim the lights an hour before bed – this helps with melatonin production.
  • Keep the bed solely for reading and sleeping – no homework, screens, or gaming in bed!
  • Use warm, soft lighting – swap bright overhead lights for lamps or fairy lights.
  • Check the temperature – around 18°C is ideal for sleep.

The Magic of a Warm Bath Before Bed

Why It Matters: A warm bath 30-60 minutes before bed helps relax muscles and lower stress, making it easier to fall asleep. It also mimics the body’s natural temperature drop before sleep.

How to Make It Extra Relaxing:

  • Add a few drops of lavender oil to the bath.
  • Follow up with a bedtime story.
  • Snuggle up with cosy PJs and a cuddle.

Avoiding Bedtime Battles & Discussions

Why It Matters: Arguments, last-minute homework, or overstimulation can trigger stress hormones and have an alerting effect, making bedtime a struggle.

How to Keep Bedtime Calm & Positive:

  • Finish homework at least 1 hour before bed.
  • Avoid difficult conversations late at night – save them for the morning.
  • Keep the evening low-key – music, stories, or quiet play.

teens sleep

Why a Parent-Led Bedtime Helps

Why It Matters: Studies show that when parents take an active role in bedtime, children go to bed earlier and have more sleep.

How to Lead a Calm Bedtime:

  • Keep bedtime at the same time every night (including weekends!).
  • Spend 10-15 minutes of quiet connection before the start of the bedtime routine – reading, chatting, or a cuddle.
  • Offer gentle reassurance – a consistent routine makes children feel safe and secure.

bedtime routine

The Power of Morning Light

Why It Matters: Morning sunlight helps reset the body clock, making it easier to fall asleep at night.

How to Help:

  • Encourage outdoor time in the morning (even just walking to school).
  • Open curtains as soon as they wake up.
  • Let natural light fill the breakfast area.

bedtime routine

Final Thoughts: A Calm Bedtime = Happier Mornings!

A consistent, soothing bedtime routine can transform your child’s sleep. By keeping screens in check, managing worries, adjusting diet and exercise, and creating a cosy wind-down routine, bedtime can become a calm and comforting part of the day.

Need help with your child’s sleep? We’ve supported hundreds of UK families in creating better sleep habits. Get in touch to find out how we can help!

Written by Mandy Gurney February 2025

The Impact of Screens on Your Child’s Sleep

Blue light from screens impacts sleep

The Impact of Screens on Your Child’s Sleep: Understanding the Real Issues

Mobile phones offer endless entertainment, connectivity, and information—but they can also be intrusive, keeping us up when we should be resting. This issue is becoming more prominent for children, with increasing concerns about how screen time affects their sleep.

As parents, it’s easy to spot the signs: children staying up late, having trouble winding down, or complaining about being tired during the day. A recent study of 11,875 US children aged nine to 10 explored how screen time affects mental health, behaviour, school performance, sleep, and friendships. The results indicate that more screen time is mildly linked to worse mental health, more behaviour problems, lower academic performance, and poorer sleep, but slightly better peer relationships.

screens at bedtime impact sleep

Understanding the Impact of Screen Time on Sleep

While blue light has long been blamed for sleep disruptions, the latest research suggests that the real problem is more complex. The issue isn’t just the light emitted from screens—it’s how devices keep children alert at bedtime and shift their bedtimes later as they scroll through social media, play games, or watch videos.

Studies have found that the more time children spend on their phones, the later their bedtimes get and the less sleep they get overall; those children who kept their phones on at night—especially with notifications active—had worse sleep quality and stayed up later.

screens in bed impact sleep

How Phones Keep Your Child Awake

Phones can stimulate your child’s brain, making it difficult for them to fall asleep. Instead of winding down, they’re getting caught in a cycle of watching “just one more episode” or scrolling through social media, which pushes bedtime later and later.

But it’s not just the amount of time they spend on devices that matter. The content they’re engaging with is equally important. Reading or seeing upsetting messages, or getting involved in emotionally charged content, can further disrupt their ability to relax and fall asleep. Even “fun” content can spark excitement or lead to overthinking, which makes it harder to settle down.

Setting Boundaries to Improve Your Child’s Sleep

As parents, you have the power to set healthy boundaries around screen time that can greatly improve your child’s sleep.

Here are some practical tips:

  • Set Clear “House Rules” for Screen Time: From the moment your child gets their first phone, make it clear that devices do not belong in the bedroom. This helps avoid late-night scrolling and phone distractions.
  • Create a Charging Station Outside the Bedroom: Keep phones and other devices in a common area, like the kitchen or living room, to prevent them from interfering with sleep.
  • Lead by Example: Children are more likely to follow rules when they see their parents practising them. Limit your own screen time before bed, and you’ll set a great example for your child.
  • Establish a Screen-Free Wind-Down Time: Aim for an hour or two without screens before bed. Use this time for activities like reading, drawing, or doing a relaxing puzzle to help your child wind down.
  • Support Late-Night Study Needs: If your child needs to study late or use devices for schoolwork, consider having a cut-off time at least an hour before bedtime.
  • Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine: Dim the lights an hour before bedtime to signal to your child’s body that it’s time to wind down. Studies show that even just four minutes of bright light at the wrong time can delay melatonin production by up to 90 minutes, making it harder to fall asleep.

Why Leading by Example Matters

It can be hard to convince children to change their habits, especially when they’re used to having their phones at all times. However, setting clear rules and leading by example can make a big difference. If your child is already struggling with sleep, have an open conversation about how devices and screen time might be affecting their rest. Helping them understand the importance of healthy sleep habits—and supporting them in sticking to them—can lead to better sleep quality for the whole family.

For more on teens sleep, see our blogs on:

Written by Mandy Gurney. RGN.RM.Dip HV February 2025
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