Parent-implemented bedtime fading and positive routines

Stimulus control is the principle underlying the most common behavioral interventions targeting sleep habits, such as positive routines and bedtime fading. Stimulus control posits that falling asleep is the final step of a behavior chain, in which initial steps are pre-bed behaviors that lead to a state of calmness.

Positive routines are defined as a series of five to seven calming activities that move from active to passive and are undertaken during wakefulness to facilitate quietude and sleep onset. When establishing positive routines, completion of each step in the routine is met by praise, notifying the individual of the transition to the next step.

Bedtime fading is defined as a sleep intervention in which bedtime is moved to match an individual’s natural sleep onset time and increase the likelihood of quick sleep onset. Bedtime is then systematically altered over time to more closely approximate developmental norms and family habits.