Sleep Diary For Kids
A sleep diary can help you spot patterns in your child’s sleep. For example, you might notice that they find it harder to fall asleep on a Sunday night because they are worried about school, or that certain activities, routines or changes affect how well they sleep.
Keeping a sleep diary gives you something practical you can do if you are concerned about your child’s sleep, particularly while you are waiting for advice or support. It can also provide useful information to share with your GP or another health professional.
Try keeping the diary for around two weeks to get a clearer picture of your child’s sleep. Record things such as:
- what time they go to bed and roughly how long it takes them to fall asleep
- how often they wake during the night
- what time they wake in the morning
- naps during the day
- their bedtime routine and screen use
- anything that may have affected their sleep, such as illness, worries, changes to routine or an unusually busy day
- how they seem the following day, including their mood, energy and behaviour
Don’t worry about making it perfect. The aim is simply to build a picture of what is happening over time.
Once you have a couple of weeks recorded, look back and see if anything stands out. Small patterns can sometimes help you understand what may be affecting your child’s sleep and where you could make changes.
Children's Sleep Diary