In the past parents regularly put their babies outside in their prams to give them a good dose of fresh air each day. But today many parents worry about babies being too hot or too cold and so keep them indoors more often. And with the increase of cars and indoor shopping centres, children are spending less and less time outside.
There is however a big incentive for parents to take their children out for fresh air each day and that’s a good night’s sleep! Recent research has shown that babies who are exposed to natural daylight during the afternoon will sleep longer at night time. The study which was published in the Journal of Sleep Research suggested that spending time outdoors in natural daylight helped babies to establish their circadian rhythm which is essential for setting the body clock, allowing babies to distinguish between day and night.
Interestingly, the time of day is important when heading outdoors with baby as experts have found that afternoon daylight in particular is most beneficial. During the study the sleeping habits of 56 babies were recorded and those who slept the longest at night time were found to have been exposed to twice as much light between midday and 4pm.
So if you’re a parent who would like to improve your baby’s sleep patterns, try to get out in the fresh air each day. Don’t worry about the weather – even on an overcast or rainy day, your baby will still get the benefits. Keep waterproofs and rain covers ready so that you can pop out whatever the conditions.
For more information about healthy sleep for all ages, visit: www.sleepcouncil.org.uk
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