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 Jenna Wilson, award-winning sleep consultant and founder of Little Dreams Consulting. 

Starting school, or even preschool, is such a huge milestone in your little one’s life – and yours too! There is lots of learning and developing to be done so we want to ensure they are as pre/school sleep ready as they can be!

Why is sleep so important?

It is only during the deep phase of sleep that the growth hormone is secreted, together with the hormone that tells your little one whether they are full or hungry. On top of this our immune system needs sleep in order to produce proteins to fight infection; vitally important when your little one goes to school and picks up all those new bugs that they have not yet become exposed to.

Sleep is vital for your child’s development too. If your little one does not sleep well, the brain cannot ‘press save’ on what was learned that day, which, as you can imagine, is absolutely vital!

How can you help your little one get more sleep?

There are two aspects we can look at to improve your child's sleep for preschool.

Bedroom Environment

Let’s start with the basics, a really important part of sleeping for your child, is ensuring that they have a calm and comfortable environment to sleep in. We want to ensure that their bedroom is where sleep can come easily and naturally.

The right duvet helps. Try the Night Lark Junior Coverless Duvet & Pillowcase Set: made from super-soft Smartfil fibres and featuring four delightful prints, it is also easy-washable and quick drying. 

1. Keep It Simple

One of the biggest mistakes parents make when it comes to their children’s bedroom is that they make it too exciting, whereas, ideally their room will be calm and, well, pretty boring. We want to ensure that your little one knows their room is for sleep and nothing else so ensure any toys are tidied away at the end of the day and anything like too many stuffed animals and huge murals on the wall are out of sight.

2. Keep It dark

Ideally your little one’s room would be pitch black but, lots of little ones will develop a fear of the dark as they become pre schoolers.

One of the biggest reasons for early morning wakings is because of light coming in from outside so a blackout blind (something like a ‘Groblind’ or you could even Sellotape black card over your child’s windows) can work well. Older children may even like an eye mask (I know all of my 3 do).

Try the Night Owl Junior Chidlren's Silk Eye Mask made from pure mulberry silk.

If your little one is scared of the dark, try to ensure their night light is not too bright but allow it to stay on all night so that the way in which they fall asleep is the same when they come to the edge of sleep each time in the night.

3. Keep It Cool

The recommended temperature for a child’s room is between 16 to 20° and, did you know that only a 0.5% change in temperature can really impact sleep.

‘My 6 year old loves the feel of the bedding and has remained cool all summer so I know this works, plus from a very practical point of view it is super easy to wash (and I get bonus points for it’s sustainability credentials)!’

Be aware that 4am is generally when our bodies (and our houses) are the coolest so bear that in mind because we don’t want your little one waking because they are a little cool.

Bedtime Routine

Let's move on to their bedtime routine. 

1. The Basics 

First, a bedtime routine can be really helpful for children. Ideally there will be some ‘getting the wriggles out’ play time, after dinner, followed by some quiet and relaxing time before bed. It can also include some massage or touch to calm overtired and wired nervous systems! Relax Kids have a great website with lots of resources to help, or watch some cosmic kids yoga and do it together! Try to ensure you also have some 1-1 time with you to reconnect too.

2. Include a bath

A bath will also help your little one wind down and relax, together with the benefits of their body temperature dropping and this will help them sleep too.

3. Avoid the sugar

Avoid sugary foods or drinks before bedtime (including surprising things like hot chocolate or too much fruit). Instead, you could try a banana, some natural yoghurt or a bowl of (low sugar) cereal if your little one wants a snack before bed.

Book A Free 15 Minute Chat

If your little one is having trouble sleeping, we work with children up to the age of 10 so book a free 15 minute chat with one of us to discuss what’s happening and how we can help.

Go to Little Dreams Consulting.

About Little Dreams Consulting

Little Dreams was set up in 2016 by ex-solicitor Jenna Wilson (a mum of 3) with a goal of helping families around the world get a better night’s sleep. She initially trained with Sleep Sense then The Sleep Charity (UK). Within 18 months the demand for her services was such that Fay Smith (an ex- mental health social worker) came on board.

Despite this, demand continued to grow so there is now a team of 4 in Bristol and the Little Dreams franchise opportunity was launched in December 2021. With franchisees now across the south and midlands (and demand for services not slowing) the franchise has helped over 1000 families get a better night’s sleep and has hundreds of 5* reviews. If you are looking for a completely flexible new career that you can be proud of download a prospectus here.

 Start a Little Dreams franchise. 

Feeling too hot to sleep? As summer temperatures soar across the UK, getting restful sleep can be a challenge. You’re tossing and turning in bed, soaked in sweat, waking up feeling drowsy - it’s an all too familiar struggle. 

Here in England, the highest temperatures ever recorded occurred last summer. And the summer we’re now entering is forecast to be another scorcher. High temperatures challenge our health in many ways, including how well we sleep, which can lead to daytime impairments such as fatigue.

Snoring has spurned a multitude of old housewife’s tales and obscure remedies. And if you’re a snorer or have the displeasure of living with one, chances are that you might be tempted to try anything if it means getting your eight hours. There’s not a lot of evidence that some of the more bizarre treatments like taping tennis balls to your back, gargling with garlic or using duct tape across the mouth work. In fact, they sound downright dangerous, unpleasant, and not at all appealing. Luckily a great night’s sleep is completely achievable if you’re willing to make a few changes.

What is Snoring?

According to The Sleep Foundation, snoring occurs when your airway is partially blocked. As air passes through, it causes the tissues at the top of the airway to touch each other and vibrate, making the familiar sound known as snoring.

Lifestyle Changes to Stop Snoring

There are some obvious lifestyle changes that will help with snoring. People suffering with obesity are more likely to snore and develop the more concerning condition named obstructive sleep apnoea. The obvious answer is to lose weight, but it’s easier said than done, of course.

Whilst snoring might be seen as one of the lesser evils of smoking given its association with lung cancer and heart disease, it is annoying nevertheless. Statistically, smokers snore more and conversely by quitting, snoring becomes less likely.

Alcohol and eating food before bedtime is another factor that increases the likelihood of snoring so try to avoid it in the few hours before going to bed.

Snoring can also be due to your nasal structure so it might be worth trying an anti-snore device or nasal strips that help you to breathe easier.  

What is the Best Pillow to Stop Snoring?

Practising good sleep hygiene can also help to keep your airway free of blockages and minimise snoring. So, what exactly does that mean?

Well, snoring is often worse when you sleep on your back. If this sounds familiar, then try to get into the habit of sleeping on your side instead. There are devices that are wearable, and which vibrate to alert you when you’re rolling onto your back. Use a pillow that supports sleeping on your side too, especially if this is a new position for you.

Our favourite anti snoring pillow is Fine Bedding’s Head and Neck Pillow. Perfectly designed to support the contours of the head and neck to alleviate strain on the muscles, this is the one to give you a restful night of sleep. You can easily tailor the pillow to your ideal level of support by using the zip to add or remove filling as needed. And as if that’s not enough, the incredibly soft pure cotton cover adds an exquisite touch of class.

Shop Head & Neck Pillow

Snoring is sometimes the result of rhinitis and dust mite allergies. After all, if you’re bunged up, then your airway will naturally suffer, and snoring can worsen. So if this is the case, Fine Bedding’s ultimate anti-allergy pillows, the Spundown Firm Support Pillow or Spundown Medium Support Pillow could be the solution for you.

Shop Spundown Pillows

These easily washable pillows can be put in the washing machine at a dust mite busting 60°C and the great news is that wash after wash, they still retain their exceptional quality and comfort. 

The secret ingredient of these anti-allergy pillows is the luxurious filling made of advanced Smartfil® fibres, an innovative highly compressible fibre technology. This ensures that these pillows bounce back to their wonderfully plump shape after every wash. A sustainably sourced BCI cover also adds an extra level of comfort and touch of luxury to this must-have product.

A firmer pillow can also elevate the head, which is another way to keep the airway clear. This is where the Spundown Firm Support Pillow comes into its own with its dual purpose as anti-allergy and head elevator. Alternatively, you could use two pillows to raise the head. And don’t forget that a quick fix to stopping snoring can be to simply change position, although it won’t fix the problem long-term, it sometimes gives short-term respite.

If you liked this article, we think you’ll like How to Maintain A Good Sleeping Posture.

When we’re children, our bedtimes are usually regulated for us. Then as soon as we become adults, we are in charge of how late we stay up. This can be detrimental for our usual sleeping pattern. If you’re struggling to know when to go to bed or how to regulate your regular sleeping pattern, we’ve got you covered. In this blog post, we will be looking at the average time that adults go to bed, what time our Sleep Experts recommend turning off the lights and how you can get your sleep schedule back on track. 

What is The Average Bedtime For An Adult?

According to our study for Sleeptember which was completed in 2019, during the working week, the average bedtime among British citizens was 10.43pm.

Whilst the recommended amount of sleep is typically between seven to eight hours, ‘long sleepers’ may need more than that to feel well-rested and ready to take on the day. They could need up to nine hours of sleep, which may mean they will go to bed earlier or sleep in later. 

Or, if the struggle of regulating your own bedtime has hit you hard and you are currently in the sleep debt phase where you are catching up on your recommended amount of shut eye, you may also find yourself going to bed earlier than usual.

In addition, to the average bedtime being 10.43pm on weekdays, according to our Sleeptember study, three out of 10 householders claim they would be more productive at work if their boss allowed them to have a brief nap during the working day.

What Time Should You Go To Bed?

What time you go to bed, when you wake up and when you should start thinking about unwinding after a long day is dependent on many things. Such as the weather, how much work you may have to get done and what your evening plans are. So, what time should you be thinking about turning off the lights and snuggling down under the covers?

For younger adults, our Sleep Experts recommend getting seven to eight hours of sleep, or even nine if you are trying to catch up. The same goes for adults aged 26 to 64 and older adults, aged 65 and over. This amount of sleep should leave you feeling calm, rested and ready to take on whatever the upcoming day has in store for you. 

For children, more sleep is commonly recommended, as they are growing and getting good quality shut eye is vital to their development process. For example, new-borns should be getting 14 to 17 hours of sleep a day, which includes their regular naps. Whereas older children, from the ages of 6 to 13, should be averaging at around 9 to 11 hours of sleep, to ensure that they are both happy and healthy. Finally, teenagers, aged 14-16, will experience many growth spurts and go through the main developmental stages. So it’s important for them to get  8 to 10 hours of sleep. 

How Do You Make A Sleep Routine?

Making a sleep routine can be a daunting task, especially if your current circadian rhythm has been interrupted and you are trying to get back to your regular pattern. 

With the nation's addiction to technology like smartphones, tablets and computers, it's no surprise that so many people find that this is one of the main reasons that falling asleep can be difficult. Your circadian rhythm is governed by what the light is doing. It’s our natural sleeping pattern which beckons our bodies to wake when the sun is up and go to sleep when the sun is down. With blue light shining in our faces before bed, this can confuse us and make us feel more awake during the evening, when we should really be winding down and going to sleep. To set up a good routine before bed, our Sleep Experts recommend shutting off your phone a few hours before bed and instead, trying picking up a book or listening to some relaxing music. 

During our study for Sleeptember, we found that nearly a third of the UK (30%) blames their lack of sleep on being too hot or too cold under their duvet. This could be because the majority (51%) say they use the same duvet throughout the seasons, not changing togs for cooler sleeping in summer or to keep warm in the winter. Ensure that your quality of sleep is the best that it can be by having a duvet which suits the weather or even having a Four-Seasons Duvet, which will see you through the entire year. 

 Shop All Four Seasons Duvets

The Christmas holidays create the perfect recipe for a disrupted sleep routine. Think about it. We’re exercising less, drinking more alcohol, eating rich food, having time off work and our normal daily routines become non-existent. It’s like a montage of all the things that interfere with sleep, no less. So, add to that, shorter days and longer nights and our poor circadian rhythms are seriously confused. 

Why is Sleep Important?

Before answering this question, we should point out that there are 5 stages of sleep that occur within a sleep cycle. These begin with stage 1 where you begin to drift into sleep and continue until stage 5, often referred to as REM sleep where you’re most likely to dream.

In stage 3, you enter deep sleep, and stage 4 is the deepest sleep stage of all. Breathing, heartbeat, body temperature and brain waves all lower during these stages. Several other things happen as well including:

• Muscles become extremely relaxed
• Memories are consolidated
• Learning and emotions process
• Physical recovery occurs
• Blood sugar levels and metabolism balance out
• The immune system is energized
• The brain detoxifies
• Tissue growth and repair take place
• Important hormones are released to do their jobs
• Cellular energy is restored

The longer that you remain in stage 3 and 4, the more recharged and refreshed you feel.

Conversely, if you don’t get enough deep sleep, these key bodily functions cannot take place and sleep deprivation kicks in. In short, obtaining enough deep sleep is vital to achieving optimal health and well-being.

Effects of Sleep Deprivation

The effects of sleep deprivation are far-reaching and massively affect physical and mental health. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you might find that the following things happen:

• Finding it difficult to fall asleep
• Lying awake for long periods at night
• Waking up several times during the night
• Waking up early and being unable to get back to sleep
• Feeling down or having a lower mood
• Having difficulty concentrating
• Being more irritable than usual
• Feeling like you have not slept when you wake up in the morning
• Feeling hungry
• Making poor food choices
• Higher likelihood of suffering from a serious illness
• Poor hand- eye coordination

Sleep Routine for Adults

Healthy sleep habits are the way forward when it comes to a quality night of sleep. So how do you make a sleep routine? Well, luckily it's far easier than you might credit. With some easy tweaks, you could soon turn poor sleep around.

The first thing to understand is that a regular nightly routine helps the body and mind recognize that it’s bedtime. This might include taking a warm shower or bath to relax the muscles, getting stuck into an enjoyable book, meditating, practising some yoga, having herbal tea or lighting an aromatherapy candle. Whatever you enjoy doing to unwind can form part of your evening ritual. The key is to be consistent every night because this builds an association in the mind with relaxation.

It’s also important to get rid of disruptive evening habits. Ask yourself the question, are you staying up too late? Watching too much tv or scrolling through Facebook? None of these are conducive to sleep, of course. We know that we should turn them off, but we don’t. We really can be our own worst enemy!

Creating a sleep-inducing bedroom environment is also vital so ditch the bedroom tv, get a sunrise and sunset lamp and keep on top of your sleep hygiene. After all, there’s nothing worse than getting into bed and realising that you really ought to have washed the bedding! And having soft, comfortable, inviting bed linen and pillows is another factor that can seem minor, but make such a huge difference at bedtime.

If you like the sensation of falling back onto a cloud-like pillow, then you must try our Boutique Silk Pillow. We’re sure that once you’ve tried this pillow, you’ll never go back!

Shop Boutique Silk Pillow

You’ll also love the classic, luxurious and unbelievably soft to the touch Night Owl Coverless Duvet, the perfect addition to your night-time routine to ensure a wonderful night of sleep.

Shop Night Owl Duvets

You could also consider making other changes like installing blackout curtains, wearing eye shades, ear plugs and using “white noise” machines, humidifiers, fans, and other devices that can make the bedroom more comfortable. These days there are even sleep meditation apps that can help you drift off to sleep so there’s really no excuse for poor sleep!

While we often associate good posture with standing or sitting, our ligaments and muscle joints also take time to repair and relax while we sleep! So our sleep posture while we recharge is actually quite important, which is why you shouldn’t neglect your sleeping posture.  

Looking after our backs is something most of us tend to forget about until we feel those nagging pains and aches, which often means it’s already too late. You could change that by making some adjustments to your sleeping habits to help you maintain good posture while you sleep and in turn decrease chances of unwanted discomfort. 

How to Choose the Right Mattress?

A vital element to getting a good night's sleep and waking up refreshed, of course. revolves around your mattress. Linked to how the muscles relax while sleeping, our mattresses play a huge part in maintaining good sleeping posture. With such a wide variety of options available, it can be overwhelming knowing where to start, luckily our good friends over at The Mattress Guide have composed a helpful post to guide you on the best mattress for you depending on the way you sleep. Giving you all the know-how on what type of mattress is best for side, back and front sleepers. 

Back Sleepers 

There are a good variety of options for those of us that prefer to sleep on our backs, allowing a comfortable night's sleep. This comfortability makes keeping up a good posture while sleeping all that easier. 

Side Sleepers

This sleeping position is the most popular in the UK. The side sleeper dominates the top-ranked sleeping positions. Unfortunately for those of you that choose to be a side sleeper, this has the most impact on our back and hips so sorting the right mattress for you is vital. 

Front Sleepers 

Around 7% of people in the UK chose the worst sleeping position for your neck and back. Yes, front sleepers or stomach sleepers, we are talking about you. Putting added pressure on the hips and shoulders affects your posture much more than the other positions. 

How to Choose the Right Pillow

Accompanying the mattress, your pillow also plays a vital role in helping you maintain that all-important sleep posture. Depending on the way you sleep and the position you find the most comfortable, your pillow choice can elevate some of the strain and stress that could be on your joints. 

For instance, did you know that according to research from the University of Rochester, your pillow should support both the head and neck, making it comfortable on the natural curve of the spine. If the position of the said pillow is too high or low, this then affects the amount of strain on not only your neck but head and shoulders too. 

This goes for your mattress choice too, the firmness could be a factor as well as the differing materials. Always make sure you are not putting the natural curve of the spine out of alignment as much as possible as this is one of the main focuses for better sleeping posture. On top of that, you may be considering a medical condition that would affect your choice. It is always best to try your mattress before you buy it so that it aligns with your personal preferences and comfortability. Your sleep posture is an important aspect of feeling well-rested so it's important to check in every once in a while to see if you need to be making any adjustments.

The effect of the moon on humankind has been in question for many years. Whether it’s been about mood, the body or even, fertility and the world’s birth rate. But is it possible that the moon is affecting our night’s sleep? 

If you’ve taken all the necessary steps for getting that perfect seven to eight hours of uninterrupted shut eye, like cutting down on caffeine, exercising regularly, minimising any blue light and listening to calming music, and you still aren’t able to get a full night's sleep, then we could have a new culprit. 

In this article, we will be looking at the moon phases, how they could possibly be messing with our sleeping pattern and who it could be affecting the most. 

What are the Moon Phases?

The moon changes shape regularly, going through phases of appearance. This is because the moon orbits Earth, causing only a position of what we see to be illuminated. The moon takes 27.3 days to fully orbit the entire earth, however, the moon goes through its entire phase, from new moon to new moon, in 29.5 days. 

In short, the phases of the moon are caused by the position of the Sun and Earth, which only allows us to see certain shapes. As the moon produces no visible light of its own, it is lit up by other objects. 

All eight phases of the moon have their own name, including: 

• New Moon
• Waxing Crescent Moon
• First Quarter Moon
• Waxing Gibbous Moon
• Full Moon
• Waning Gibbous Moon
• Last Quarter Moon
• Waning Crescent Moon

Can the Moon Changing Phase Affect Our Sleeping Pattern?

So, the question is, can the moon phases really affect your sleeping pattern? 

A study was conducted by the scientists of the Psychiatric University Hospital (UPK) at the University of Basel in Switzerland using 33 volunteers. They all lived in a laboratory environment for a week whilst they had their sleeping patterns studied. This group had an even number of both male and female, including  young adults between age 20 and 31 and older adults between ages 57 to 74. 

During this study, they all had to not consume any alcohol or caffeine and ensure they were in perfect health.

Firstly, this study showed that there was a strong correlation between the lunar cycles and overall sleep deprivation. Whilst their volunteers slept, their brains were closely monitored, along with their eye movements and hormone levels. This study showed that on average, their sleep quality was about 20 percent worse during the full moon as compared with the new moon, according to the data crunchers.

How Does the Moon Affect Our Sleeping Pattern?

There are many reasons that the moon could be keeping you from getting the recommended seven to eight hours of shut eye a night. It could be because during the moon's brighter phases, it lets off more light. The more light there is, it can interfere with our circadian rhythm. Our circadian rhythm refers to our physical, mental, and behavioural changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. This is a natural process our bodies follow which primarily responds to light and dark. For example, the darkness means we tend to feel more sleepy and relaxed. This is not just for humans though, animals, plants and even microbes have a rhythm like this. 

So, what are your thoughts, do you think the moon affects your sleep? Do you feel that you get a better night’s shut eye when the moon is not that bright?