How Winter Affects Toddler Sleep – Plus Tips for Better Rest

Contrary to popular belief, the change in season and the arrival of winter is not all bad when it comes to sleep. Darker nights and colder bedroom temperatures can be beneficial when sleeping, provided you give your toddler the right amount of cover to keep them warm yet ventilated in bed.

Having said that, the change in daylight hours affects our underlying circadian rhythm – which is responsible for our natural sleep-wake cycle. When daylight hours are reduced, it’s harder for our bodies to adjust especially when waking up in the dark.

And it’s not just the internal system that gets confused. Because, in the winter, we have more electric lights on in the house, toddlers can be tricked into feeling more awake owing to the artificial brightness. As a result, it’s important to regulate light sources as much as possible during winter, especially around bedtime.

Finally, winter weather brings with it a higher risk of bugs, viruses and common colds – all of which have a negative impact on sleep quality especially for toddlers.

Navigating bedtime routines and sleeping patterns in winter requires a blended approach, controlling both the environment that they sleep in and the times at which they are encouraged to sleep.

To balance against the colder weather, it’s important to have a breathable and ventilated mattress, with sufficient duvet or blanket coverage to keep them warm. You can also control the temperature of their room with central heating systems in winter, to ensure the space is comfortable.

Opting for softer lighting around bedtime is another way of navigating the changes to the circadian rhythm, while retaining as much of a consistent routine as possible makes both naps and bedtime easier to manage.

Another top tip, and something that we use at My Ohana, is a change in activity level as we approach naptime. Rather than going straight from energetic activity into naptime, we approach naps with a change of pace – engaging in some reading activities or soft music. These are things that you can try at home, reading with your child.

While we’re on the topic of how the My Ohana team approach naps, it’s important to recognise our particular emphasis on ‘wholebeing’ – that is, the balance between mind, body, and world.

Offering personalised care to each child, with a science-based curriculum that balances learning with play, everything from skills learning and socialisation to healthy sleep habits is adopted as part of our approach to overall development.  We recognise the individuality of each child, alongside the need for routine in shaping their minds and bodies for optimum development and comfort at nursery.

Activities like our outdoor learning opportunities, and our comprehensive Nursery libraries, create a structured but well-balanced routine – lending itself to that change of pace that becomes so important as we approach naptime.

Carrying these enrichment ideas and activities into your home environment is just one way that you can navigate better rest all year round – acknowledging the challenges of the change in environment and adapting to them.

We hope this helps. To discuss individual challenges and to seek the advice of our childcare professionals, get in touch with your local nursery.