Zzzzz … Time for summer-to-school sleep adjustments, routine

By U.S. ArmyAugust 25, 2016

Time for summer-to-school sleep adjustments
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

VICENZA, Italy -- The first-day outfit is chosen, pencils are sharpened, and the new backpack is by the front door. Before you and your family jump into the new school year, however, make sure you've tackled your child's sleep schedule, too.

After a summer of late nights and laid-back mornings, it is likely that your child could use help adjusting to earlier bedtimes and wake-up calls. Not only will this lead to fewer "I'm tired" arguments in the morning, but also it is important for your child's learning. Just 25 minutes of less sleep per night can lead to lower grades, and fatigue and concentration problems in children are linked to insufficient rest.

Lack of essential sleep can wreak havoc with health, academic performance and behavior. Children ages seven to 12 need 10 to 11 hours of sleep, while older kids only need about eight to nine hours. The following tips can help your child successfully make the switch from summertime to school time.

Gradually adjust bedtime

A sudden change could make it difficult for children to fall--and stay--asleep. School starts on Monday, so hopefully parents haven't waited until now to adjust bedtimes. Parents who haven't given it much thought, though, still have a couple of days to work with. So go ahead and use what time you have to make bedtime earlier than summer usually allows. Next year, start about two weeks before school starts. slowly start making bedtime earlier about five to 15 minutes each day. This will help your child's circadian rhythm adjust to the new schedule.

Nighttime routine

If your child doesn't already have a set bedtime routine, now's the time to create one, especially for the younger ones. Calming activities like reading a book or taking a bath can help children wind down for bedtime. Repeating the same process nightly will eventually cue a child's brain and body to the routine and that it's time to sleep.

Take tech out of the bedroom

Lax summer rules may have meant that children were allowed to play on laptops or cell phone in bed, but in order to get back on a regular sleep schedule, it's important to keep electronics out of the bedroom because they can lead to poor sleep. Not only can the "dings" of text messages wake children up, but the blue light many devices emit may promote wakefulness. Make a rule that all devices need to be turned off one hour before bed.

Try a new alarm clock

This is good especially for teens, who may be tempted to keep hitting snooze more than once. Go with one that plays their favorite upbeat music, one that rolls around on the ground for them to find, or even a wearable wristband that vibrates to wake them up.

Don't let weekends derail you

Once children have gotten into a solid sleep schedule Monday through Friday, don't let them sleep in until 10 a.m. on the weekends. It will throw them out of whack by the time Sunday comes around. Encourage children to stay as close as they can to the weekday routines, and everyone will be happier and more alert.

Remember, poor or inadequate sleep can lead to mood swings, behavioral problems and cognitive problems that may impact children's ability to learn, according to the National Sleep Foundation. So encourage your children to get some rest!

(Information provided by the National Sleep Foundation,

www.webmd.com and www.apples4theteacher.com)

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