How to handle sleep regression in kids due to the pandemic, according to sleep expert Harvey Karp

• Due to schedule disruptions, stress, and being stuck inside, many babies and children are experiencing sleep regression amid the coronavirus pandemic.
• Dr. Harvey Karp, a pediatrician and sleep expert who created the SNOO crib, shares some tips on how parents can effectively address sleep regression.
• Karp recommends a consistent bedtime routine, spending time outdoors, and engaging in soothing talk before bed.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

If your child's sleep has become more erratic during the coronavirus crisis, know that you're not alone. In fact, Italian pediatricians reported widespread sleep disturbances among their young patients as the pandemic hit its peak there.

Between our new home-bound lives and the stress of a global pandemic, many factors can compromise our kids' sleep routines.

When babies and children spend most days indoors, they hunger for fresh air, sunshine, and the soothing green color of nature. Being inside may keep them from burning off their energy during the day, leaving them wide-eyed at night.

Kids are also spending much more time in front of screens. Between distance learning and screens coming to the rescue as effective childcare, young kids are clocking in a lot more time on their iPads and TVs. This boost in screen-time is totally understandable, but it too can interfere with sleep, particularly when kids are planted in front of "Moana" or "Sesame Street" within an hour of bedtime.

Screens give a steady dose of blue light, which can suppress the release of melatonin, a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle.

Then, of course, there are plenty of other COVID-related stresses, which can interfere with sleep — even if your child is too young to really get what's going on. They may pick up on enough of your despondent vibe to feel worried themselves. As we all know, anxiety can interfere with getting solid shuteye.

So much is happening that feels out of our control, but fortunately, there are some practical ways to help you improve your child's sleep, and help you rest easier too.

Prioritize outdoor play

Outdoor play essentially acts as a vitamin for a young child's spirit. The sun, fresh air and the myriad of things to touch and climb and kick offer up an ideal outlet for piquing curiosity and using up some energy.

If possible, catch those golden rays in the morning because a child's bedtime routine actually starts right after breakfast. Early morning light helps our bodies know it's time to wake up. Plus, it sets our internal clocks straight for the rest of the day, helping our brains to know when it's time to hit the hay.

Maintain a consistent nap schedule

For babies and toddlers, sticking to a consistent nap schedule is important. Though it might be tempting to move naps around to accommodate your Zoom calls, try not to veer too far off the regular schedule. Naps are a parent's best friend when it comes to keeping their tykes happy, healthy, and well rested.

Naps prevent your child from getting overtired, which can lead to nighttime sleep struggles. They also boost memory, sharpen attention, reinvigorate the immune system, and reduce stress.

Create a bedtime routine

Life feels anything but routine to us at the moment, and yet, for your child, routines offer safe little islands of predictability amid the chaos. A regular pre-bedtime routine gives your child that comforting sense of knowing exactly what to expect.

About 30 to 60 minutes before you start winding down, stop the roughhousing, turn off screens, dim the lights, and switch on some white noise. (White noise is the sound equivalent of a cozy teddy bear). Add something that's relaxing. Give your little one a warm bath, a massage, or read together while snuggled in bed. (Maybe dab a little calming lavender oil on the sides of your tot's mattress, too).

These familiar, predictable, and reassuring sleep cues will help her relax into what's coming next — nodding off.

Engage in soothing talk to help them wind down

In those last moments before sleep, your child's mind is the most receptive to your words of love. "Bedtime sweet talk" is your opportunity to fill your child's brain with happy thoughts, and lay his worries to rest. Once tucked in, snuggle up and recount a few positive memories and acts of kindness from the day. Mention a couple of the interesting and sweet things he might do and experience the following day.

If your child has been expressing fears or having nightmares, having calm and reassuring conversations before bed is a way to casually mention how you will protect your child and always keep him safe. This could also lead to potentially happy dreams in the night

If your toddler resists sleep, try 'Twinkle Interruptus'

When toddlers moan, complain, and cry out against bedtime, parents are often told to just close the door and let them scream themselves into exhaustion. I prefer the no-cry sleep training method.

Part of it involves "Twinkle Interruptus," a silly-sounding way to help tots learn to fall asleep on their own, without a tug-of-war at their bedroom doorknob.

Here's how it works: For a few days before you start this approach, introduce two new things into your child's life. First, implement a relaxing and predictable bedtime routine (that can include white noise and a stuffed animal sleep buddy). Then, engage in patience stretching five to 10 times a day (this is a helpful tip from my book, "The Happiest Toddler on the Block").

Then, one night, a few minutes into your bedtime routine, announce that you forgot something, and let your little one know you'll be right back. Hold up your finger and say, "One second, one second, Sweetheart. Here, you cuddle Mr. Snuggles…and mama will be right back!"

Now, go out the door for five to 10 seconds — or even just across the room, pretending you have to check something in a drawer — then return, praise your tyke's waiting, and continue the routine where you left off. After a couple more minutes, make another brief exit, this time for a little longer.

Over the next few days, you will gradually stretch the intervals to a minute or two (or three). You can expect to see that when you return, your tot has fallen fast asleep, arms cuddling Mr. Snuggles, no tears required.

• Read more:
• 11 books to help children cope with school closings, not seeing friends, and feeling anxious
• 11 books for kids who are feeling lonely while stuck at home
• There's evidence that high levels of screen time in preschoolers may hinder brain development
• 6 alternatives to Fisher Price's recalled Rock 'n Play that may help your baby sleep