We have all been children and experienced nerves during January 5th, we remember the night of the Three Kings because of how difficult it was to fall asleep. The reason is that we had a lot of expectation and our head was full of Christmas illusions, gifts, doubts about where the Kings will enter the house, wishes that they liked the food that we left well placed, and many more thoughts. On the night of Epiphany, the nerves of the toys that they bring us together with the Christmas rhythm that has been carried throughout the holidays, these two factors influence the sleep of the smallest of the house. There are many factors that increase the rhythm that we take during Christmas if we compare it with the rest of the year. Changes in the routine schedule, meals and dinners away from home, family meetings and gatherings, moments with friends, these are all aspects that make children overexcited during the Christmas holidays. After several days of so much hustle and bustle, the night of Epiphany, that is, January 5-6, is the most difficult for children to sleep well. There are those little ones who want to wait up all night to discover the Three Wise Men arriving on their camels, or others who can’t stand the desire to see lots of presents under the tree the next morning. How many times have we heard that…“behave yourself or the Three Wise Men won’t come home”, “eat everything or the Three Wise Men won’t come tonight”, “Balthazar is watching you and if you misbehave he won’t give you anything”, right? What we tell our children may work in the short term, but it can also provoke some anxiety in the child. Some children are more nervous and others more restless, depending on their temperament. Other times, what happens is that they are not yet able to control their emotions. Often the anxiety generated by waiting for gifts can cause a sleep disorder.
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How can we help them sleep on Epiphany night?
First and foremost is to get up early on January 5, surely the next morning we will begin to hear very early as children wake up eager for their gifts. Although we know that children are on vacation and can extend their awakening, days like this it is advisable not to get out of bed later than usual. If we get up early on January 5, we will ensure that children arrive tired at night and can rest better. In addition, if on the 5th we do different activities such as going out for a walk, playing at home, running with other children, etc., it will also help them to rest during the night and fall asleep. Something simple and that is “forbidden” on January 5th is to take a nap, we should look for any other entertainment for the child to be active. Also, we must try to follow the same routine as always before going to bed, do not eat dinner too late and do not go to sleep with a full belly, and wait at least an hour before getting into bed. It will help children to listen to something that has nothing to do with Christmas, even reading a story, are things that will help them fall asleep, all in a calm and relaxed atmosphere.
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As we always do at Naturalia & Poligón, we recommend avoiding the use of screens, smartphones or tablets before going to sleep.
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We hope that these tips for the night of the Three Kings will make you all arrive on January 6th with more energy so you can enjoy it better as a family 🙂
