For many children around the world, Christmas Eve is the most exciting and magical night of the year.
As they settle down beneath their sheets to await the arrival of Father Christmas, his reindeer, and a stack of presents, it’s no wonder that many excited children struggle to drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.
Here are five tips for helping your kids sleep more soundly on Christmas Eve and wake up feeling refreshed on Christmas Day.
Get plenty of fresh air
Go for a walk and get plenty of fresh air somewhere where the kids can run around and let off steam to help tire them out on Christmas Eve. A trip to the park or a brisk family walk in the countryside or a local wood or forest can also be a lovely way to spend time together.
Hide the sugar
At Christmas the cupboards are usually bursting with tins of chocolates, packs of biscuits and other sugary treats. Make an effort to put all the treats away after lunch on Christmas Eve to help prevent a sugar-induced high keeping the kids buzzing all night long.
Turn off the screens
The blue light that technology emits can have a negative effect on our ability to switch off and get to sleep at night. On Christmas Eve, instead of gathering around the television or a games console, instigate a screen-free family games night to help children wind down before bed.
Stick to routine
This one can be difficult at Christmas, but wherever your plans take you, try to stick to your kids’ normal bedtime routines as much as possible. If you can keep them going to bed and waking at roughly the same time as usual, then it can help to prevent them getting overtired and the ensuing bedtime dramas.
Wind down and relax
Christmas is a magical time of year full of trips and activities which can leave children feeling overtired and hyperactive by the end of the day. Have several screen-free, wind-down activities planned for evenings when the kids are bouncing off the walls to help them to calm down ready for bed.
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