Many of us will have encountered sleepwalking at one point or another, and while sleepwalking is a common occurrence in children, it can still be alarming to see. If your little one is prone to sleepwalking and you’re looking for some advice on what to do, read these simple tips from us at Children’s Bed Shop.

Children's Bed Shop - what to do about sleepwalking in children

Keep a sleep log

In order to get more of an insight into the issue, try keeping a log each night that outlines your child’s sleep behavior. Note down what time your child went to bed, what they did before sleeping (e.g had a bath or watched TV) and other details like what they ate or drank. If you find that sleepwalking occurs on nights when your child sleeps later than usual or after they’ve been exposed to technology too close to bedtime, this could indicate the cause and suggest how you can alter their bedtime routine to try and stop it happening.

Uncover possible causes

Often there’s no specific reason why children sleepwalk, there are certain things that can make sleep disorders such as this more common. The most common causes include sleep deprivation, stress and certain types of medication. Other reasons sleepwalking can happen is if your child is startled while in a deep sleep, or wakes suddenly due to needing to go to the toilet.

Make their surroundings safe

When sleepwalking, your child isn’t usually aware of their surroundings meaning there’s a higher risk of injury. In order to give yourself some peace of mind, you should take extra precautions and child-proof the home. This could mean adding a gate to the top of the stairs to stop your little one wandering down, and ensuring all windows and doors are locked at night. Keep their room tidy and free from toys or other bits and bobs lying around which your child could trip over. If you have two children sharing a room, consider switching bunk beds for a midsleeper bed like the Steens Memphis midsleeper in grey from Children’s Bed Shop which is lower down but also has some space to add a small single bed underneath.

Keep calm

If you come across your child sleepwalking, it’s important to remain calm and not to startle them. Gently guide them back to their bed in and speak to them in a reassuring tone. They should usually settle right back into a restful sleep in no time!

Remember to always seek medical advice if your child’s sleepwalking becomes more of a chronic issue, and take a look at our full range of beds at Children's Bed Shop to find the best bed for your little one.