According to new research by the makers of JOHNSON'S®, parents struggling with the bed time routine are losing over 959,000 hours of sleep every night, with 26% of mums and dads surveyed saying they haven't had a full nights sleep for more than 14 days.
Nearly a quarter (24%) of those surveyed admit it's been more than a month since they got some decent shut eye and as a result are turning to bizarre and unusual methods to get their baby off to sleep. A whopping fifth of parents (21%) have resorted to begging, bargaining or pleading with their baby in desperation and some have used the sound of popular household appliances such as hoovers and hairdryers to soothe them to sleep.
With 60% of parents revealing they use songs and lullabies to get their baby to sleep, this World Sleep Day (March 18) the makers of JOHNSON'S® are launching the world's first research based lullaby, made up of the sounds mums say really work when putting their baby down for the night.
The Tonight We Sleep™ lullaby is set to a slow, swaying tempo with 70 beats per minute to mimic the familiar beat of mum's average resting heart rate, which has been shown to soothe infants to sleep. The UK lullaby includes the sound of birds chirping, vacuum cleaners, a hairdryer, rain and washing machines.
Andrea Grace, an independent child sleep specialist says, "When a baby or child doesn't sleep well, it can have a huge impact on their own wellbeing, as well as everyone else's in the home. My advice to parents is to set aside half an hour or so at the end of the day for a loving and consistent bed time routine. From the earliest weeks of life, babies thrive on routine, as it helps them to feel safe and secure. So at bed time, give your child your undivided attention and begin a calmly repeated series of steps leading up to bed time each night including some quiet relaxing time. This will help them to fall asleep happily and easily and is one of the best ways to help them to sleep through the night."
The survey amongst 501 UK parents with a child aged 1 year or under also found that on average their child wakes 2.5 times a night for 29 minutes each time. An unfortunate 6% are kept awake for more than an hour at a time.
As sleep experts JOHNSON'S® has studied more than 45,000 babies, observed more than 300,000 sleep sessions and helped mum with more than a billion baby bedtimes. JOHNSON'S® clinically proven 3-step bedtime routine engages the senses and helps baby fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer :
* Bath: Start your bedtime routine with a warm bath to gently cleanse baby's skin and begin getting them ready for bed.
* Massage: A massage, as part of a bedtime routine, can help baby sleep better. Your touch and familiar scents can make baby feel happy and relaxed, enhancing baby's sleepy mood.
* Quiet Time: The moments before bed are an opportunity to help baby wind down further through quiet time activities, such as reading, singing or listening to music.
Research shows that after just seven days, babies following the 3-step bedtime routine woke up in a better mood, woke up 38% less frequently and spent 32% less time awake. And, when baby sleeps better, mum benefits too - compared to before they followed the routine, mum's felt on average 45% less tired, 54% less angry and 22% more energised .
For more information visit www.johnsonsbaby.co.uk.
