Light and sleep

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

A darker room means less stimulation around your child. This will help calm and settle him. A darkened room also tells your child that it’s time for rest.

Once your child is in bed, she’ll sleep better if the amount of light in the room stays the same while she’s asleep.

Noise and sleep

Children can sleep with some noise. Your child doesn’t need an absolutely silent room to sleep.

But it’s easier for your child to go to sleep when noise levels are kept consistent. If your child falls asleep to noise, hearing less noise might wake him up. Or a sudden loud noise might wake him.

Tips for managing light and noise

These tips can help you reduce light and keep noise consistent:

• Block out sudden noises. You could shut the windows and doors, hang heavier curtains or a blanket over windows, or put a draft blocker under the door.
• For babies under six months, try low-level noise in the room where your child sleeps. A radio played quietly or white noise like a fan or a radio tuned to static can be soothing for your child. These can also block out sudden noises.
• Block out morning light and noise, like the sounds of traffic or other early risers. Thicker curtains and closed windows might help too. This can help your child sleep longer in the morning.

If you use a radio or a source of white noise, place it well away from your baby’s ears and keep the volume low. This protects your child’s hearing. If you’re worried your baby might come to depend on these sounds to get to sleep, try turning them off every now and then.