- Why it helps
- Streetlights and early daylight can make settling harder.
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- Try blackout curtains or blinds, keeping cords well out of reach.
Ideal Sleep Setup
A few small adjustments can make rest feel easier. Start with what fits your child.
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Tick what is in place, or open the details first. This is a helpful checklist, not a score to aim for.
Darkness
Keep the room dark enough to feel restful.
- Why it helps
- Some children feel safer with a little light, and a pitch-dark room can feel unsettling.
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- Choose a warm, dim light away from your child's face and leave it on all night.
- Why it helps
- Bright or changing lights can keep attention busy.
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- Move light-up toys out of the sleep space before bedtime.
Sound
If white noise helps, keep it quiet and steady.
- Why it helps
- Louder sound is not more helpful and may harm hearing.
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- Use the lowest helpful setting and check it from the sleep space.
- Why it helps
- Distance reduces sound exposure and keeps cords out of reach.
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- Put it across the room, never in or attached to the crib.
- Why it helps
- A familiar sound can soften changes in household noise. Radio, TV and music can wake a child when they stop.
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- A ceiling fan or air filter gives a low, steady sound. Skip it if it bothers your child.
Temperature & air
Aim for comfortable, not extra warm.
- Why it helps
- Too much warmth can make sleep uncomfortable.
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- Use this as a starting range and adjust clothing to the room.
- Why it helps
- Babies need warmth without loose bedding in their sleep space.
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- Choose a well-fitting, non-weighted sack suited to the temperature.
- Why it helps
- Sweating or a hot chest can mean your child is too warm.
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- Feel the chest or upper back; cool hands alone do not mean more layers are needed.
Sleep space
Safety matters more than any settling tip.
- Why it helps
- Soft or inclined surfaces are unsafe for infant sleep.
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- Put babies on their backs on an approved crib, cradle or bassinet mattress.
- Why it helps
- Soft objects and loose bedding can obstruct a baby's breathing.
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- Use only a fitted sheet; leave out pillows, bumpers, toys and blankets.
- Why it helps
- Gaps or added padding can create unsafe spaces.
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- Use the mattress specified for the sleep space, with no extra topper.
- Why it helps
- Climbing and growing can change what is safe.
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- Follow the manufacturer's height, weight and developmental limits.
- Why it helps
- A familiar spot tells your child's body that sleep is coming.
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- Wherever your child sleeps, make it their own space and keep it the same night to night.
Comfort & cues
Small, familiar signals can help bedtime feel predictable.
- Why it helps
- Familiar steps help your child know what comes next, and the stability is calming.
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- Choose a short sequence you can repeat on ordinary evenings, and have every caregiver follow it.
- Why it helps
- A familiar object can comfort an older child, but is unsafe in a baby's crib.
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- Keep soft objects out for at least the first 12 months; ask your provider when one is safe.
- Why it helps
- A gentle tone can make the transition feel less demanding.
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- Repeat a simple phrase such as 'I'm here. It's time to rest.'
- Why it helps
- A softer setting can make the shift towards rest easier.
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- Lower the bedroom lights when you begin the routine.
Light & screens before bed
Use evening and morning light as gentle daily cues.
- Why it helps
- Bright light and exciting content can delay winding down.
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- Try books, quiet play or an audio story instead; plan gradually if a screen supports communication.
- Why it helps
- Bright evening light can make the body clock run later.
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- Use a small lamp instead of bright overhead lighting where practical.
- Why it helps
- Daylight helps the body clock recognise the start of the day.
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- Open the curtains after waking or spend a little time outside with sun protection.
Safe sleep comes first
For babies, safe-sleep rules come before comfort preferences or any checklist tick. Keep babies on their backs in a firm, flat, bare sleep space, and follow current safe-sleep guidance. Check with your health care provider about anything medical or any safety concern.