What Wakes Kids Up?

Light

• Some kids are naturally early risers, but if they don't have a bedtime early enough, they might be missing out on valuable shut-eye. When the sun rises, the light streaming in your child's window might wake her up even if she's not ready to be up and about. The Parents Connect website suggests hanging blackout shades in your child's bedroom windows to cut down on the amount of light coming in. A dark towel or blanket draped over her curtain rod also works well. During the summer months, your child's bedtime might arrive before it's dark outside. Use shades, a towel or a blanket when she goes to bed too, which helps her fall asleep more quickly.

Sound

• Some kids can sleep through anything, but if loud or sudden sounds wake your child, he might be missing out on valuable sleep. Interrupted sleep isn't conducive to good rest, particularly if it occurs repeatedly, every night. Use a sound machine in your child's room, which can mask the noises you make in the rest of the house. If loud noises outside tend to wake your child at night, keep his window closed and use a fan to keep the room cool during hot weather. Watch television or do chores as far from his room as you can so your movements don't wake him up.

Wacky Schedules

• You might think that being a bit tired is a good thing because it will help your child fall asleep quickly. However, some kids have more trouble sleeping when they get overtired, notes the Parents Connect website. Make sure your child is going to bed at the same time every night whenever possible. If your child still naps, make sure her nap isn't happening too close to bedtime, which can make it hard for her to go to sleep, even at the usual time. If your child has a couple of late nights, scale back her bedtime for a few days to help her catch up.

Hunger

• Some kids go through phases of light eating interspersed with periods of constant hunger. Being hungry can often wake a child up at night or too early in the morning. You can counteract this by encouraging your child to fill up at dinnertime. If a couple of hours go by between dinner and bedtime, offer your child a small snack before he hits the sack to help tide him over. A bowl of cereal or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich are good choices because they are filling, while they also help induce sleepiness, notes the Ask Dr. Sears website.

Comfort

• At some point or another, your child has probably wound up in bed with you during the night. Sometimes kids wake up simply because they need comfort. This could be due to nightmares or waking up and having a hard time going back to sleep. If your child wakes up scared or uncomfortable during the night, hold her, rub her back or sing to her. This serves to comfort and distract her from bad dreams or scary thoughts until she falls back to sleep. A special stuffed animal or blanket and a night light also work well, notes the Cleveland Clinic.