4 tips to adjust to the school year sleep schedule
During the summer, most children and teens enjoy staying up late and waking up at noon every day. With summer over for most, it’s time to adjust to the busy back to school schedules.
So how can parents help their kids get back to a normal sleep?
According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), school-aged children between ages five and 12 need 10 to 11 hours of sleep. And for teens between the ages of 13 to 18, the recommended hours of sleeps is about eight to nine.
Dr. Aaron R. Traeger, pediatrician with Advocate Medical Group in Normal, Ill., provides parents a few ways for children and teens to get back on track with their bedtime routine:
- Set and enforce a regular bedtime. Try to stick with that time even on the weekends to help with their consistency.
- Turn off electronic devices two hours before bedtime. The intensity of the light will “trick” the brain into thinking that it is daytime and being wide awake.
- Avoid caffeine. The usage of caffeine in children and teens can disrupt the ability to sleep.
- Work on setting a regular routine that is tailored to the child’s personality. For example, if they are too squirrely for a story right before bed try singing songs or just talking about how the day went.
The NSF also recommends sticking to those bedtimes even on the weekend. This helps to ensure your child’s circadian rhythms are regulated.
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health enews staff is a group of experienced writers from our Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care sites, which also includes freelance or intern writers.
I know my parents always made me adjust my sleep schedule a week before school started.
Would like to see this article expanded and the NSF to include student athlets. Many middle and high schools have early morning(before school) and after school practices and/or games. Quite a few students are in honor and/or advanced placement courses. When one factors in commute times, study times, and wholesome meal times … not much time left for sleep…