Light and noise

Light

Try dimming the lights as you get your baby ready for bed. In the daytime, closing blinds or curtains will help.

By darkening the room, you reduce the amount of stimulation around your baby, which will help calm and settle your child. A darkened room also tells baby that it’s time for rest.

Once your baby is in bed, baby will sleep better if the amount of light in the room is consistent.

Noise

Children can sleep with some noise. Your child doesn’t need an absolutely silent room to sleep. But it is easier for baby to go to sleep when noise levels are kept consistent. If baby falls asleep to noise, hearing less noise might wake baby up.

Tips for managing light and noise

• Do what you can to block out sudden outside noise. You could shut the windows and doors, hang heavier curtains or a blanket, or put a draft blocker under the door.
• Consistent low-level noise, such as playing a radio quietly in baby’s room, can also block out sudden noises. If you’re worried your baby might come to depend on music playing all the time, try turning it off every now and then as your child’s sleeping pattern becomes more established.
• You can set up a source of white noise – tune the radio to static, for example. A fan is also a good source of white noise.
• Morning light entering the room, and the noise of traffic or other early risers, might be enough to wake your baby. So if you want baby to sleep longer, thicker curtains and closed windows might be the answer.

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