Dear Tunester, Today I want to give you the secret to a peaceful bedtime routine – The Long Runway.
Here’s a scenarios you might be familiar with –
You’re on the couch watching a show with a snack on your lap. One more episode! Maybe just one more… until you can’t keep your eyes open any longer. You gather the inhumane will power it takes to turn off the TV and crawl to bed. But now you’re lying in bed staring at the ceiling. Just a second ago your eyes were closing like shades on an airplane window, but now that you’re in bed you’re mind is reeling and your antsy. Well, I guess it’s time for another episode.
I hate to say it dear Tunie, but your baby is the same way. When we drag them to the max with their awake time most likely they’ll have a harder time falling asleep. Not only that, it might cause more wake ups in the middle of the night.
So what’s the answer? Giving your baby time to wind down – a Long Runway to sleep.
The long runway is not just for babies, it’s for kids too. Last night I made sure to start our wind down early at home and it made ALL the difference and my kids. Starting early meant that we had plenty of time to read together, cuddle and chat, and slowly bring down our energy. And then they went to sleep peacefully!
So how do you do it?
5 Steps to Acheiving a Long Runway to Peaceful Sleep
- Lights.
Dim the lights during dinner and keep them dim. You’d be surprised how effective this is. A darker room sends a physical message to the brain that it’s time to end the day and prepare for sleep. (for more on this topic I love the Huberman Lab Podcast.)
- Timing.
Start your bedtime routine a lot earlier than you would. Can you do it an hour early? That’s luxurious, I know, but it will make a big difference. The earlier you can start with your bath, book reading, changing, feeding, etc, the better off you’ll be. Youll have more time to laze and bond and your baby will feel the shift.
Sometimes babies become more energetic during the bedtime routine. Especially if they feel they have your attention. That’s ok! That’s why you’re giving them even more time to enjoy it and then wind down after that. - Voice.
Start to lower your voice, make it calmer, speak slower. This not only works on your baby but on you. The more you consciously make your voice softer and slower (channel your inner preschool teacher,) the more it will wrok on your nervous system. And then of course on your baby’s too because they’ll pick up on your cues. - Books.
Therea are a million reasons why reading a book to your baby before bed is beneficial. One that we don’t often consider is that it brings your baby’s attention to a single focus point, just like meditation and that’s extremely calming. Not only that, it causes you both to thave a joint focal point – which is bonding. - Sing.
Did you think I wouldn’t mention this one? Your song is key to the long runway. You can start to sing your song very early in the bedtime process. If your baby is used to the song it will cue them physically and emotionally. It will also physically soothe them.
(Is your baby waking up in the middle of the night and you’re wondering if you should sleep train or not? Check out this post.)
So dear Tunester, do you do any of these to acheive your long runway? COMMENT below and let us know.
Do you have a friend who is struggling with a chaotic bedtime or an overtired baby? Send them this post and tell them to sign up for more below.
One more note – Have you ever considered leading classes for caregivers and babies? I’ll be doing a free training on October 11. You can sign up HERE.
