3 Easy Changes to Make Bedtime Easier

If bedtime in your house feels like the hardest part of the day, you’re not alone.

So many parents I work with tell me evenings are when they feel most drained. After a long day, you want nothing more than to get your child settled and have a bit of time to yourself but instead, you get battles, stalling, tears or a little one who suddenly has the energy of a Duracell bunny.

Here’s the thing: bedtime doesn’t have to be such a struggle and sometimes, it isn’t about a huge change, it’s the small tweaks that make the biggest difference.

Here are three you can try tonight:

1. Bring bedtime forward slightly

It sounds almost too simple but an overtired child will fight sleep even harder. When your little one is past the point of tired, you’ll see more tears, more resistance and more difficulty settling.

When little ones are overtired, their body releases the stress hormone cortisol which is why there can be a lot of energy and a lot of emotions. Cortisol also stays in the body a long time so it can also lead to more wakes through the night and an early start. 

Try bringing bedtime forward by just 15-20 minutes and see what happens. Often, that’s all it takes to catch them before they tip into overtiredness.

I know for many it can be hard to bring bedtime forward because of late child care pick ups so perhaps consider making dinners easier. Generally if your little one has been at childcare they would have had an earlier tea so won’t need a full dinner. Why not make life easier with a simple snack before bed of something like crackers and cheese or a banana. Both these options are great sleepy foods and nice and quick. 

2. Set the scene for sleep

Children sleep best when their environment is calm, quiet and predictable. That doesn’t mean you need to spend hours creating the perfect Pinterest-worthy bedtime routine, just a few key signals that help your child’s body and brain wind down.

Some ideas:

• Dim the lights around 30 minutes before bedtime, switch off screens and noisy toys

• Before going up to bed, spend some time together to just connect. Read a book together, do a puzzle or for the younger ones, some simple sensory exploring is great. 

• Have a bath before bed. Having a bath actually changes the body’s temperature and signals it’s time to sleep. You could even build in some baby massage after this if you’d like to. 

The most important thing is that you have a simple bedtime routine that you can stick to.  Click here if you’d like my simple bedtime routine. 

When bedtime looks the same every night, it becomes easier for your child to relax and accept sleep.

3. Stay Consistent

This isn't easy but consistency is your best friend when it comes to bedtime. If the “rules” or the order of things keep changing, your child is more likely to test boundaries and push back.

That doesn’t mean bedtime has to be rigid or joyless, there’s still space for flexibility and connection. But keeping the main framework the same every night takes away uncertainty, which makes the whole process calmer for everyone.

For example, be clear to your little one that they only have one book before bed (or however many you choose). If you allow more sometimes then it leaves you open for a battle when you don’t have time to read more. Your little one won’t understand why one day they can have something and the next they can’t. 

When these tweaks aren't enough...

For many families, these small changes can make bedtime much smoother. But if you’re still struggling night after night, it’s usually a sign there’s something bigger going on.

Sleep needs shift constantly as your child grows. What worked a few months ago might not work now. If bedtime is always a battle, it could be that your child’s schedule, environment or sleep associations need adjusting.

That’s where I come in. I work with parents who are exhausted, overwhelmed and desperate for evenings that don’t feel like a marathon. Together, we look at the full picture and I create a plan that works for your child and for you. No more guesswork and trying every trick in the book which just isn’t working for you.

If bedtime has you dreading the end of the day, I’d love to help.

👉 Book your free call here

If this resonated with you, share it with a friend or leave a comment, I’d love to hear if any of these helped you.