10 Ways To Promote Good Sleep

Your body temperature naturally drops at night. According to Health.com, giving your baby a warm bath before bed raises his body temperature, and the rapid cooldown after the bath relaxes him.

Giving your baby a gentle massage with natural oils is not only a good bonding experience, but it helps promote good sleep. Your gentle touch will soothe your baby and, if done regularly, will become a part of the bedtime routine she looks forward to every night.

A quiet room can help calm down your child and relax them after a busy day. Shutting off outside noise will keep the stimulation down and help get your baby ready to sleep.

If a quiet room isn't possible, white noise is an option to block out sounds from outside your child's room. "Loud, rumbly white noise is ideal for babies because it mimics the sounds of the womb and is a great way to add an additional hour (sometimes 2) to their sleep," sleep expert Tamiko Kelly said. "For toddlers, white noise is great for drowning out sounds like the doorbell or loud kids playing outside during nap time."

According to a Daily Mail Survey, it was shown that people with blue bedroom walls get the most sleep. Blue is is linked to calm, soothing feelings and is thought to slow the heart rate and even reduce blood pressure.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, 73% of people attribute having the lights off in their bedroom to be important for getting a good night's sleep. If your child is under three, keep all the lights off to avoid the distractions of extra light at night. If your child is older, a nightlight can be used for alleviating fears of the dark.

Your body temperature naturally drops when you go to sleep, so if the room is already cooler (around 65 degrees), it will be easier for your body to relax and to fall asleep.

When your child is old enough for solid food, consider these healthy snacks with dinner. "For big kids, eating foods like bananas (which contain natural muscle relaxants magnesium and potassium) or cherries (which contain melatonin) will help them fall asleep and taste super yummy," Tamiko says. "It's a win-win!"

The scent of lavender can lower your heart rate, blood pressure and help put you in a relaxed state according to Health.com. Dried lavender or lavender essential oil in a diffuser can help add a calming feel to your child's bedroom.

It may be tempting to put an extra soft blanket in her crib, but remember loose blankets can be dangerous for your baby if they get wrapped up in them. Also, extra warm blankets could make it more difficult for your baby to stay at that sleep-optimum cool-body temperature.