Help kids get a good night’s sleep
Making sure kids have good sleeping habits is very important for them to function well during their school days.
“Sleep is very important with being able to concentrate in school,” says Dr. Jennifer Schening, a pediatrician at Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, Ill.
She offers some tips on making sure your child gets enough sleep during the school year:
Create good sleeping habits. Students fall into bad sleeping habits during breaks from school. To help get them back on track, make a routine before bed to help them wind down. This can include brushing their teeth, putting pajamas on, and reading. My number one suggestion is no electronics for at least an hour before bed.
Get enough sleep. Getting even an hour less of sleep than what kids are used to can impact their behavior. This is especially true for those with ADHD. Younger kids should get at least eight hours of sleep and older students should get at least seven.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends going to sleep at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning to help develop a bedtime routine.
Help them relax. Do not allow rough housing before bed as this can help kids wind down. If they’re having a hard time relaxing, warm milk can help as well as some essential oils.
The National Sleep Foundation also recommends making sure their bedroom is a quiet and relaxing environment. Make sure the temperature in the room isn’t too hot or too cold and help kids relax before going to bed by trying breathing and guided imagery exercises.
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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.
