Halloween Sleep Tips

There are many scary things floating around during the Halloween season, but the scariest thought of all is having your little one’s sleep disrupted by a late night of festivities and trick or treating! Halloween is an evening activity and although it is a lot of fun, it can make sleep that night a little more challenging.  So here are a couple of tips to hopefully make your Halloween go a little smoother this year.

Get Out Early

If your little one is under the age of 3 staying up late can be hard on their little bodies. Try to stick to a regular bedtime and get out early, preferably during the daytime to enjoy a little Halloween fun. Hit up festivals and trunk or treats early in the day or early evening, so that you can be home at a decent hour to stay on your bedtime routine and schedule.

Keep Bedtime Within an Hour

If your child is over the age of 3, it is best to aim for a bedtime within an hour of what their normal bedtime is, but try not to rush the bedtime routine when you do tuck your child in.  Due to all the fun of Halloween, it is important to give your child some time to unwind from all of that excitement so she can easily fall asleep and stay asleep.

Naps

If you know you’re going to be out later, let your little one sleep a little longer than you normally would for her naps. This extra sleep will help make up for some of the sleep she will lose with the later bedtime and help her stay awake longer in the evening. If your child was up late on Halloween night, you might need to start nap time a little earlier the next day if she is seeming extra sleepy in the morning.

Don’t trick or treat on an empty stomach

Make sure to have a snack or a big dinner before going out to trick or treat. This will help keep the meltdowns due to hunger to a minimum and help regulate the intake of too many sweets. To avoid having tummy aches at bedtime, have your child put their candy away at least an hour before bedtime.

What to do With All of That Halloween Candy?  

We all know that too much candy is not good for anyone.  It’s not good for our body, our teeth, and especially not good for our sleeping habits.  If you have children over the age of 3, try this.  Let them have whatever they want on the day of Halloween.  If you don’t like that idea, allow for them to have a predetermined amount of candy that night.  Then the next day have them keep a couple pieces of their Halloween loot and turn the rest into you for a toy or some other kind of non-food incentive.  Check and see if your local dentist buys it, donate it somewhere, or find somewhere to send it.  It’s a win-win for everyone.

We hope you have a fun and safe Halloween!