‘Tis the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work like that and for many parents getting the kids to go to sleep on Christmas Eve can be very hard work as they want to stay up to see Father Christmas himself.

No matter how comfortable their bed and luxury mattress may be, when children are excited they often won’t go to sleep. Here are a number of tips from the Odd Mattress Company to help you get your children to go to bed when St Nick is on his way!

Christmas Eve sleep tips for children

Stick to your normal routine.

It may be Christmas Eve and a very exciting time, but if you have young children that have a set bedtime routine make sure you follow it.

Don’t get them too excited

Watching Christmas films and listening to Christmas music is a great way to get everyone in the festive mood, but keeping it all in moderation should help to keep the kids calm and ensure they can nod off.

Use natural ways of inducing sleep

A hot bath and a warm drink before bed are great ways of relaxing and will encourage them to feel sleepier so you can get them to bed easier. It is also recommended that you feed them food such as cod, eggs, soya beans, cheese and sweet potatoes as these contain an amino acid which naturally encourages sleep.

 

Send them to bed early

Most children stay awake for a short time after they’ve been put to bed, and when they’re excited they’ll want to stay awake even longer. Combat this by putting them into bed half an hour earlier than normal as it should make them fall asleep at their usual time.

Set a time for opening presents

Telling the kids that they can only open presents at a set time will stop them from trying to stay awake all night or even getting up early. Between 6.30am and 8am are recommended as a good time to set.

These tips can help you get the kids off to sleep so Father Christmas has plenty of time to prepare and to ensure that no one is over-tired on the big day itself.

Featured Image Credit: iStockphoto.com / morrowlight (Via Custard Online Marketing)