Sweet dreams are made of this...

Struggling to get your little one to settle down for bed? CAMILLA FOSTER talks to an expert who offers 10 top tips which may help...

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BEDTIME tantrums, separation anxiety and frequent night-time wake-ups are just some of the common challenges parents of young children often face.

Sleep disruptions can take a serious mental and physical toll on both children and their caregivers. To better understand the importance of a bedtime routine, Dr Jacqueline Harding, a child development and education expert, and author who consults on many children’s television programmes, including CBeebies’ BeddyByes, gives her advice.

“Some obvious signs of sleep deprivation in children include rubbing their eyes or rolling around on the floor, and sometimes they can become irritable,” says Dr Harding.

“Children generally enjoy life, and they're not going out of their way to make life difficult for parents, but when their emotional integrity is breaking down and they feel this lack of safety and security, then everything begins to look a bit hazy for them. This can affect their memory and their learning.

“Sleep deprivation can also erode the fabric of biological life and affect our immune system. So, that hour before bedtime can be used to set children up for a fantastic neurological and biological future.”

Here are Dr Harding's top 10 tips for helping your little one get a good night's sleep...

1. Create a predictable routine

Young children thrive on rhythm and familiarity, says Dr Harding.

“The brain, including little brains, is a predicting organ which uses up a lot of its resources [about 40%] trying to work out its place in the world, and prediction is one of those,” explains Dr Harding.

“In order to have the security and safety to go to sleep, little ones really do need predictability.