• How dark is your child’s room?
• How noisy is your child’s room?
• How warm is it?
• Do they have a TV, mobile phone, tablet or computer in their room, if so what are the rules for there use?
• How old is their bed? Does it ever gets used as a trampoline?
• Is your child sharing with a disruptive sibling?
• What sort of pillow are they sleeping on? How old and clean is the pillow?
• What sort of bedding are they using?
• How is the room in the dark, are there any potentially disturbing shadows?

With the answers to these questions in mind, here are some tips and kids’ bedroom ideas to help create a bedroom environment designed for sleep.

1. Sleeping Environment – A child’s bedroom is often using for more than sleeping, it can be their playroom, study and living room. It is important to remember the primary purpose of the bedroom is for sleeping, so ideally time in the bedroom is kept tranquil and restful, especially prior to bedtime.
2. Colours – Forget blue for boys and pink for girls, there are other colours and combinations that may be better suited for your child. Tailoring a room to your child’s needs shows them that it is important. Maybe consider dividing the room into zones, with different colours or designs for different activities. Pale shades of pink help send a child off to sleep and green helps them feel refreshed in the morning.
3. Lighting – Children and Adults, sleep better when it’s dark. So where possible you want to prevent natural light coming into the room with the curtains closed. Some children may be afraid of the dark so using a night light can help, ideally with a green not yellow glow and something that doesn’t shine directly in a child’s eyes,
4. Temperature – Research has shown that both adults and children sleep better in a cooler room. Your should be aiming for around 16-18 degrees Celsius where possible.
5. Noise – Generally toddlers tend not to be as distracted by noise as adults once they have gone to sleep. This means you don’t need to be creeping around the house trying not to make a sound, the more they get used to background noise when sleeping the less likely they will be disturbed when older.
6. Smell – A clean fresh-smelling bedroom is a much nicer sleeping environment, any air freshener should be used sparingly and not to disguise smells that need to be dealt with in the bedroom, i.e. rotting food or dirty clothes. Open a window every day can help keep the air fresh.
7. TV, Mobile Phones and Computers – In general it is better not to have these in a child’s bedroom or their use restricted where possible. Reading a book is a much better aid for a good night’s sleep.

For more kids bedroom ideas and advice for helping your child sleep see The Good Sleep Guide Kids Edition. You might also want to take a look at our Slim Pillow if your child needs a replacement pillow.

https://www.mummyalarm.co.uk/2014/05/sleep-well-event-next-home-garden/

Tips to help stay awake during a long drive.

Trying to stay awake and fully alert on a long drive can sometimes be a challenge, especially at the start or the end of a holiday. The tips below should help you stay awake and be more alert when driving a long distance.

1. Make sure you are feeling refreshed and rested before starting the journey.
2. Avoid driving after a full day of work and activities.
3. Plan your journey to include regular rest breaks, at least 15 minutes every 2 hours. Include an overnight stop if necessary.
4. Check any medication you are taking, don’t drive if it states you shouldn’t drive or operate machinery.
5. Avoid driving between midnight and 6am and be extra careful between 4pm and 6pm.
6. If you start to feel tired, stop where it is safe, have a non-alcoholic drink and take a short nap.
7. Make sure it isn’t too warm by adjusting the car temperature appropriately.
8. Don’t use cruise control.
9. Don’t consume any alcohol before driving as just one drink can impair your ability to drive safely.
10. If you feel you need caffeine to stay awake you may be too tired to drive; postpone your journey and have a good night’s sleep.

Warning signs that you may be in danger of falling asleep at the wheel

• Your eyelids are feeling heavy.
• You are starting to feel drowsy.
• Your eyes are closing or going in and out of focus; maybe they are feeling strained or you feel a burning sensation.
• Blurred vision.
• Thoughts are disconnected, having trouble concentrating.
• Having trouble keeping your head upright.
• You are yawning a lot.
• You don’t remember the last few miles you drove.
• You miss traffic signals and turnings.
• You keep jerking your car between lanes.
• You have problems maintaining a consistent speed.
• You drift off the road and narrowly miss crashing.

If you find yourself experiencing any of the above, you may be struggling to stay awake and be in danger of falling asleep at the wheel. Pull off the road at the earliest opportunity where it is safe to do so. Park somewhere safe and take a 20-minute nap, followed by a brisk walk.

Only start driving again when you feel refreshed.

AA Tips for Motorway Driving

https://www.thelondonwhisperer.com/post/80873101469/kneipps-new-collection-for-body-bath-and-beyond