Bed Features That Can Affect Your Child’s Sleep

Make sure your little one gets at least nine hours of quality sleep every night by following a set bedtime routine and designing his sleep space for sweet slumber. Bed features can affect your child’s sleep quality in different ways. From inadequate support to not enough blankets, the effects of the wrong bedding and poorly planned bed features can leave your little one tired and cranky. Inadequate sleep affects everything from growth to attention span, so make sure your child gets plenty of quality shut-eye by following a few recommendations from Pottery Barn Kids.

Bed Features That Can Affect Your Child’s Sleep

The Mattress

Choosing the right mattress for your child affects her quality of sleep in addition to aiding in healthy spine development and bone growth. Most pediatricians agree that one of the most significant bed features that affect your child’s sleep is the firmness of the mattress. Choose a firm mattress to support his growing body while offering enough cushioning for comfort. Innerspring and memory foam mattresses can both work well, but you want to choose something that can grow with your child and maintain its firmness. Here are some tips for buying a mattress for kids:

  • Consider the size: twin mattresses are suitable for a child, while full or queen-sized mattresses offer extra space for story time
  • Feel the firmness: ideally, you and your child should test out some mattresses to see what offers the perfect balance of firmness and comfort
  • Pick a type: whether you prefer innerspring mattresses, foam, memory foam or an adjustable mattress, find the type you like in the firmness your child needs

If your child suffers from allergies or asthma, your best bet is a mattress filled with hypoallergenic materials. Choose one that has a microbial and hypoallergenic cover, and invest in a high-quality, hypoallergenic mattress pad to keep dust mites and allergens at bay. In turn, your child should sleep more soundly and wake more refreshed.

Bedding

When it comes to bedding, it offers both snuggly comfort and adds character to the room. The best way to set up their bedding is taking a layered approach. Start with a water-resistant or waterproof mattress pad to protect the mattress from any spills or accidents.

Add a soft, comfy set of sheets with a fitted bottom sheet and a top sheet. The top sheet is an often overlooked essential that lets kids add an extra light layer to ward off the chill. It can also be used in place of a blanket or a comforter on warm nights. Top it off with a quilt, blanket, comforter or duvet cover to add warmth and a playful pop of color to the room.

Pillows

Once your baby reaches the age of 18 to 24 months, he’s most likely ready to start using a pillow. It’s important to choose a pillow to provide the proper comfort and support. Older children can often get a comfortable night’s sleep using a traditional adult pillow with enough support to avoid straining his shoulders and neck. Much like a mattress, if your child has allergies you should choose a pillow made with hypoallergenic fill to avoid aggravating his allergies and compromising his sleep quality. If your child has been using a pillow for a while, check it periodically for any sagging, lumps or lapses in support, which signal that it’s time to buy a new one.

Bonus Features

Some beds come equipped with extra features to enhance your child’s comfort and sleep quality, and if your child’s bed doesn’t have some of these bonus features, odds are good that you can duplicate the positive effects. For example, some beds have integrated nightlights to help soothe kids’ fears about the dark. Invest in a simple nightlight to plug into the wall in your child’s bedroom to achieve the same results.

Adjustable beds work well for kids who love to read in bed or to elevate your child’s head when he has a stuffy nose. Investing in an extra pillow, a neck pillow or a study cushion can let you prop your little one’s head up as needed.