How to Fall Asleep (for Kids)

Co-authored by Christopher M. Osborne, PhD | Medically reviewed by Chad Denman

Last Updated: January 11, 2023 Approved

The average kid between ages 6 and 13 needs 9-11 hours of sleep per night, but nighttime fears, general worries, and poor bedtime routines can make this tough to achieve.^{[1]
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Research source} Creating a consistent pattern for going to bed and a calming place to sleep can help a lot. If fears or nightmares are your main problem, comforting activities or talking to a trusted adult may solve your sleep troubles.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Dealing with Fears, Nightmares, and Stress

1
Place comforting items within view of your sleep space. Comfort items like teddy bears aren’t just for little kids—some adults rely on them too! Whether it’s a favorite stuffed animal in bed or your favorite posters or drawings on the wall nearby, choose a few key items that will help ease your mind as you drift to sleep.^{[2]
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- A hanging mobile with butterflies, action figures, or whatever you like might also help. Once again, these aren’t just for babies!
- Try not to overload with comfort items, though. If your bed is packed with stuffed animals, it might become a less comfortable sleeping space.
2
Use a dim night light if you’re scared of the dark. A dark room is best for sleeping, but a little bit of light is OK if it helps to calm you. Place the night light in a spot where it won’t shine in your face and won’t create any potentially scary shadows on the wall or ceiling.^{[3]
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- If you have a major fear of the dark, it may help to keep a small flashlight (that isn’t too bright) nearby. That way you can quickly check your surroundings if needed.
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3
Try a white noise machine if random sounds bother you. If creaky floors, street traffic, thunderstorms, or chirping crickets keep you awake, a white noise machine might help quite a bit. You can try using calming ocean waves, raindrops, or other soothing sounds to drown out the noises that prevent you from dozing off.^{[4]
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- White noise machines provide a continuous background sound that can block out other noises without being distracting themselves.
- Alternatively, you could try using the continuous hum of a fan, a room humidifier, or an air purifier.
4
Skip scary shows and stories if nightmares are a problem. It’s best to avoid any screen time for an hour or more before bedtime, but especially avoid scary shows, videos, or games. This kind of content may make you have more frequent and more frightening nightmares.^{[5]
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- The same goes for books—skip the ghost stories and curl up with reading material that is familiar and calming.
5
Talk to a grown-up and draw pictures if you have nightmares. If you wake up from a nightmare and can remember at least some of the details, tell a parent or other trusted adult about it—either the next morning, or, if necessary, during the night. Talking about what you’ve dreamed can help you to realize that it wasn’t real and isn’t something to fear.^{[6]
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- It can also help to sketch a picture of your nightmare. It might become less scary when you see it drawn out, and you can even rip up the paper afterward if that helps!
6
Discuss worries that keep you awake with a trusted adult. If stress about schoolwork, the big game coming up, talking to that girl you like, or your parents' arguments keeps you up at night, talk to someone about it. You can talk with a parent or grandparent, teacher, school counselor, or another adult you know and trust.^{[7]
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- Just telling someone about what is worrying you can be a big relief and might help you sleep better.
- If stress is a major problem for you, talk to your parent(s) about seeing a licensed counselor or child psychologist.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Creating a Comfy Sleep Environment

1
Make your bed an inviting place to sleep. Add a soft pillow or two, a comfy blanket, and maybe a single stuffed animal to keep things uncluttered. You want it to feel as though you could just “melt away” into sleep as soon as your head hits the pillow!^{[8]
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- Also try to use your bed only for sleeping, instead of as your spot for homework, checking your phone, building Legos, etc. This will help you associate your bed with only one thing—sleeping.
2
Keep pets, TVs, and other distractions out of your room. It might provide some initial comfort to have a favorite dog or cat cuddle up with you in bed, but pets tend to move around a lot and become distractions. A stuffed animal that never needs to get up to use the bathroom is a better choice!^{[9]
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- It’s also best to keep distractions like TVs, computers, and cell phones out of your room, especially at bedtime. If you have to do your schoolwork on a tablet or laptop in your room, for instance, move the item to another room when it’s bedtime.
- If you need an alarm to wake up, use a standard alarm clock so you can keep your cell phone out of the area. It's also best to keep the alarm clock out of reach, so you have to get out of bed to shut it off.
3
Make sure the room is mostly dark and comfortably cool. Use blackout shades or curtains to keep the room as dark as possible—use just a small nightlight if needed. Also, use fans, air conditioners, heaters, or just heavier or lighter blankets to reach your ideal sleeping temperature.^{[10]
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- Most people tend to sleep better in a slightly cooler room with blankets for warmth, but you might have different sleep preferences.
4
Manage the best you can if you share a bedroom. If you share your sleeping quarters with a sibling, you may find that your notions of ideal sleeping conditions are very different. If they like it cooler than you, add a blanket to your sleeping spot. If they like it warmer, point the fan toward you. If they need a nightlight, ask your parents to plug it in away from your sleeping spot.^{[11]
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- If you can convince them to work on establishing a consistent, relaxing bedtime routine along with you, you'll both sleep better!

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Following a Consistent Bedtime Routine

1
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. You’ll sleep better and wake up more refreshed if you set up a consistent sleep schedule for every day—weekdays, weekends, even summer vacation! If you stay up late and sleep late on weekends, for instance, your body has more trouble figuring out when it’s “sleep” time and “awake” time.^{[12]
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- In the best case scenario, you'll be able to convince everyone in your family to adopt their own consistent, year-round sleep schedules. Otherwise, see if everyone can agree to slowly adjust their schedules (for instance, from the school year to summer vacation) over several days or a couple of weeks. That way, the entire household routine isn't changed dramatically overnight.
2
Move your bedtime back until you can wake up on time without help. If you sleep on a consistent schedule—say, 9:00 pm to 7:00 am—and are getting enough sleep for your body’s needs, you should rarely if ever need an alarm clock. If you struggle to get up at the right time, it nearly always means you’re not getting enough sleep.^{[13]
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- Move your bedtime back by 15-minute increments every 3 nights until you start waking up on your own at the right time. Then use this as your consistent sleep schedule.
3
Don’t drink any caffeine within 5 hours of bedtime. Even small amounts of caffeine can affect people—especially kids—for hours after drinking it. Try to keep your caffeine intake to a minimum anyway, but especially avoid things like energy drinks and soda after mid-afternoon.^{[14]
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- If you need caffeine to help you wake up or stay awake, you aren’t getting enough sleep.
4
Avoid eating sugar before bed. Sugar will make you more energetic and make it harder for you to fall asleep. Instead of having a sugary nighttime snack, try having lightly seasoned popcorn or nuts.
5
Exercise for at least 60 minutes each day, but not after dinner. Exercise is great for your health, but working out too late in the day can give you a burst of energy and alertness that will keep you awake at bedtime. Instead, aim to fit in your hour or more of daily exercise anytime before dinner.^{[15]
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- The goal is to do moderate exercise, which means you're breathing heavier but can still carry on a conversation. Gym class, recess, and play time after school can all count towards your 60 minutes.
- Exercising earlier in the day will help to tire you out for bedtime!
6
Stop looking at electronics screens at least an hour before bedtime. The “blue light” emitted by electronic devices with screens affects your body’s internal sleep mechanisms and can keep you awake at night. Turn off the TV and put away your phone and tablet well before you start your bedtime routine.^{[16]
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- Reading an old-fashioned paper book is a far better choice for bedtime!
7
Take a soothing bath or do other relaxing activities. Develop a consistent routine that signals to your mind and body that it’s time to calm down, slow down, and prepare to sleep. A warm bath, maybe with some calming bubbles added, could serve as the first signal that your bedtime routine has begun.^{[17]
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- You might also try deep breathing exercises, meditation, prayer, or simply having a calming chat with a loved one.
8
Read happy stories and write in a journal to clear your mind. Reading something that’s calming and pleasing can help push your worries away for bedtime. Sometimes, though, it’s even better to write in order to clear your mind. Pull out a journal and pencil and jot down what you accomplished today and what you look forward to doing tomorrow.^{[18]
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- It’s great to be able to focus on happy things in your journal, but it’s also OK to write about your concerns or fears. Taking the time to put them down on paper can help to get them out of your head. Just try to end your writing session on a positive note.
9
Play relaxing music or count backward in your head. Put on a CD of your favorite soothing songs or sounds if that’s what helps you drift off to sleep. Or, try one of the time-honored tricks like counting sheep or counting backward from 100—believe it or not, they really can work!^{[19]
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- Focusing on something simple and inconsequential—like “...62, 61, 60, 59…”—will help clear your mind of distractions and might make falling asleep happen much quicker.

Expert Q&A
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Question

What should I do if I can't fall asleep after 30 minutes?

Chad Denman
Sleep Medicine Provider
Dr. Chad Denman is a Sleep Medicine Provider and is the Owner of Sleep Cycle Center in Austin, TX. With over ten years of experience and over 500 hours of Continuing Education in Sleep, he specializes in identifying and offering multiple treatment options to patients suffering from sleep issues. Additionally, he previously treated patients as a general dentist for over a decade! Dr. Denman completed his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at Marquette University and earned an undergraduate degree in Exercise Physiology from Florida State University. He’s also a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the American Dental Association, and the Academy of General Dentistry. In addition, Dr. Chad is the Director of Doctor Success for the International Academy of Sleep (IAOS). There, he coaches other dentists on how they can become healthcare entrepreneurs and lectures nationwide on the importance of treating sleep apnea.

Chad Denman

Sleep Medicine Provider

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Get up and do some stretching, reading, and relaxation-focused breathing exercises. Meditation or yoga can also help relax you and prepare your body for sleep.
Question

What if you are way too excited about something that will happen tomorrow?

Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS
Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.

Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS

Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

Expert Answer

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Take slow deep breaths, progressively relax your body, listen to a guided meditation, take a magnesium supplement and make sure your room is cool and dark.