Sleep Better with Eczema: Simple Tips for a Soothing Bedtime Routine for Kids

Establish a bedtime routineThe routine should ideally start at the same time every night. Establishing and maintaining good sleep habits helps your child fall asleep, stay asleep and wake up rested and refreshed. Make a bedtime routine for your child, always starting at the same time each night. This helps them sleep well and wake up feeling good. Learn more about how Dermasilk pyjamas are transforming sleep for families in our blog: Check out How Dermasilk Pyjamas Help You and Your Kids Sleep.

Light exposure is the most disruptive external factor affecting sleep. If your children need a nightlight to sleep use a dim, warm light that is less likely to disturb the brain’s internal clock.

Blue light, found in many digital devices, has a short wavelength that stimulates sensors in the eyes and sends signals to the brain, tricking it into thinking it is daytime. Limiting the use of electronics/screens at least an hour before bed can make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Choose a book with a calm theme to help your child relax. If they are still full of beans play their favourite lullaby instead. Listen to a couple of songs, relax together, and sing or hum.

Hot temperatures can aggravate eczema. The heat can stimulate that itchy, prickly feeling associated with eczema. Sweat may also be aggravating to eczema-prone skin as it contains various salts that not only dry out the skin but can also be irritating if the skin is broken due to scratching. Increased humidity in areas where moisture gets trapped, such as the elbows, the back of the neck, or the backs of the knees can cause eczema to worsen. This is why it’s essential to stay cool to improve the quality of sleep.

Sheets which increase body temperature while you sleep can cause itching in the night. Try switching out your children’s bedding with duvets, blankets or quilts made from materials that will keep them cool, such as DermaTherapy Bedding. The lightweight fabric is woven from fibres with unique cross-sections that create micro-channels to wick heat and moisture away from the skin, regulating temperature throughout the night. To learn about DermaTherapy Bedding, what it is, and how it works, click here.

Body temperature helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, and our body temperature drops as we wind down for sleep. There are many ways to control temperature before bedtime, starting with turning down the thermostat. Many experts recommend keeping the bedroom at a cool 18 °C.

Try to avoid vigorous activities too close to bedtime, as it can raise your children’s body temperature and keep them awake. Allow them to burn energy earlier in the day to ensure a better night’s sleep.

Our body temperature begins to fall as we approach bedtime. Giving your little one a warm bath as part of their bedtime routine could help to make them sleepy and relaxed – reducing the stress they feel before bed, so they get a quality night’s sleep. Baths can also be great for hydrating very dry skin, reducing the tendency to scratch before bed.

Our list would be incomplete if we didn’t include the importance of moisturising. Anyone with eczema knows, skin that’s dry and prone to cracking and flaking needs plenty of hydration. We recommend regularly applying an emollient to your child’s skin as instructed by your GP or dermatologist.

Choosing your child’s pyjamas can have a big impact on how well they sleep. Like bed linens, airy and breathable fabrics are most likely to prevent itching. DermaSilk Therapeutic Clothing is clinically proven to calm sensitive skin. The smooth fabric is ideal for eczema sufferers and the bonded antimicrobial reduces bacterial contamination, keeping the fabric clean and fresh – perfect for soothing a flare-up.