Are you one of those parents who struggle with sleep? You are not alone! In a Swedish study, 30% of parents of children aged 6 to 20 months reported problems with their child waking up at night. Studies also show that 25% of all 5-6 year olds have sleep problems (Source: Rikshandboken Barnhälsovård)

Sleep problems for parents and children

Problems falling asleep and waking up frequently at night are the most common type of sleep problems throughout childhood. The most common problem is that the child has difficulty falling asleep in the evening and/or during the day, as well as falling back to sleep without the help of their parents.

As a sleep counselor, I meet a lot of tired parents who have lost hope of getting a good night's sleep. I want to give you new hope, because I know that it is possible to establish good routines for falling asleep and staying asleep on your own.

You can influence your child's sleep more than you think or dare to hope! You can change routines that are not working and replace them with long-term, sustainable routines that are based on your child feeling safe, having control over where you are in the house and accepting to be in their bed awake and until it is time to get up.

Read up on different methods and choose one that works for your family. If you are unsure whether you should introduce new routines, my advice is to wait until you are ready. Being theoretically, practically and mentally prepared creates the best conditions and it is important not to lose confidence.

Changing routines can be difficult, especially in the first few days when the new routines are introduced. Be sure to set aside time and focus on the change. Cross as much as you can off your calendar. If one of you works, that person can of course do so, but see if it is possible to take a day off in connection with the introduction of new routines. For those of you on parental leave, make the world small during these weeks. You need time to reflect and rest. Your child will also need a little less stimulation as the new routines are introduced. It takes effort and energy to create new behaviors - both for you as a parent and for your child.

Consciously working to create good conditions for sleep is about putting sleep and sleeping into a whole. Take a holistic approach to everyday life. Create a schedule adapted to your child's age (there are many online).

I would also like to recommend my book "Visst kan Lillis räv sova!' - Din guide till en bättre sömn". The book is written by me and illustrated by Maria Trolle, publisher is Triumf förlag. The book is in two parts. Part 1 is a bedtime story and here you get to follow Lilly's bedtime routines until he sleeps. Part 2 is aimed at you as a parent and gives you in-depth knowledge about sleep and how you can work with sleep.

Do you feel ready for a new routine? Read the article "13 points to better sleep" (depending on the title) - where you get concrete tips and advice from Hanna Bergenkull.

Hanna Bergenkull is a sleep coach, author of the book "Visst kan Lillis räv sova - din guide till bättre sömn" and founder of Sömnskolan. If you want to attend Sömnskolan live, the next event is in September.

Want to read about how to get your child to sleep in their own bed? Click here here!