03/05/2026
In 2015 a study published in the journal Sleep took over 10,000 children across 14 countries, including the UK, and looked at their sleep and bedtime routines.
It found that a consistent bedtime routine was associated with longer sleep, less time needed to fall asleep, and reduced night wakings. In fact, the more consistent the routine, the better the sleep quality!
Other studies have shown that better sleep is strongly associated with improved mood, better memory, more attention for learning, lower anxiety and better immune health.
So that bedtime routine you're implementing with you toddler or older child isn’t just a way of getting everyone to bedtime. It really does serve a critical function in supporting both their sleep and overall development.
If you're struggling with sleep in your house, before you do anything else, start with 2 things:
1. Introduce a consistent morning wake-up time. Exactly the same time. Every. Single. Day. (Trust me, it's worth it)
2. Introduce a (truly) consistent bedtime routine. Agree your routine, set the boundaries and stick to them every night. It matters less what's in your bedtime routine than the fact that you stick to it (no negotiation) every night.
These two things may be enough in themselves to improve sleep. If not, then we can make other adjustments depending on what you're struggling with. Just drop me a message.
