This is the worst thing to do if your baby isn't sleeping

This is the worst thing to do if your baby isn't sleeping

One thing all parents will attest to is the obsession with sleep - or the lack of it!

If you have a baby or toddler who won't sleep or who keeps waking during the night, you quickly become obsessed with how to fix it because of the physical toll exhaustion takes on your body.

You might be consumed with apps, blogs, books, other parents' opinions, sleep experts - even old wives' tales that you're desperately clinging onto for a good night's sleep.

This is the worst thing to do if your baby isn't sleeping

But we're here to tell you that one common 'sleep aid' is actually causing more harm than good.

Advertisement

We're talking about night lights!

"When we are exposed to the dark in the evening and overnight, ‘melatonin’ our sleep hormone is released and that makes us feel sleepy and drowsy. On the flip side, when our bodies are exposed to light - and that’s any light be it red, pink, blue, green, and whatever other colours are out there on the market - our awake hormone ‘cortisol’ can be released to tell us to wake up."

Any artificial light messes with nature

Ms Gouin explained that if a baby or child sleeps with a night light, it's likely their body is being told to wake, rather than to go to sleep.

"Even when their eyes are closed, the light still comes through, which can mean confusing and mixed messages throughout the entire stretch of night sleep," she added.

"Having a night light or any artificial light on in the sleep space completely messes with nature.

Advertisement

"Our bodies are so cleverly designed to sleep and wake naturally on their own, influenced by dark, night, sleep and day, light, wake - we really shouldn't mess with that and why would we want to?"

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for great advice and recipes.

Join the conversation with other Moms by registering for our Discussions forum.

Read more articles like these

Want news and updates?

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

Copyright © 2024. Developed & Designed by Square1,powered by PublisherPlus

Advertisement