Back to school means back to better sleep habits for kids
Courtesy of Ronald A. Fontana
Dr. Deepa Burman
MetroCreative
Healthy sleep patterns are vital to provide students with energy and the ability to focus inside the classroom.
You may have heard the groans already… It’s back to school time and that means trying to coax kids back into earlier bedtimes and a better sleep pattern for the new school year.
Healthy sleep patterns are vital to provide students with energy and the ability to focus inside the classroom. Even though some schools have already started classes, and others are days away, it’s not too late to make important schedule adjustments that can benefit your children all year long.
“Although it helps to get a head start when working on an optimal sleep schedule for school, it is never too late to do that,” Dr. Deepa Burman, co-director of the Sleep Center at UPMC Children’s, assures parents. “Depending on how delayed the sleep schedule has gotten over the summer, it may take a few days to a couple weeks to adjust to the new schedule once school starts.”
How much sleep?
How can you tell if your child is getting enough sleep or good quality sleep? Burman says the first sign is observing their behavior in the morning.
“If the child is waking up in the morning ready to go for the day, does not fall asleep outside the age-appropriate napping regimen, and able to perform daily activities without falling asleep during the day, it is an indication of good quality sleep,” she says. Adults can do with less sleep than children and teens. Most adults do best with seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation stand at nine to 12 hours of sleep for children ages 5 to 12, with eight to 10 hours of sleep recommended for teenagers.
“Once school starts, going to bed later and waking up later may lead to tardiness,” Burman said. “In an event that the child is woken up forcibly, their sleep will be curtailed and may result in daytime fatigue or falling asleep during classes, inattentiveness and even irritability.”
Getting started
A slow but steady change is the best way to adjust sleep schedules. Making a transition too quickly can lead to sleep deprivation and cause issues with sleeping in class or lower attention span as the day progresses. A good approach is to adjust 15 minutes at a time and try to urge children to wind down an hour before bedtime.
“The plan may vary from person to person,” said Burman. “Most people do well with small changes gradually; however, some children may do just fine changing their schedules by 30 minutes to 45 minutes daily. Fixing a consistent wake-time in the morning is a good place to start.”
Darkness signals our bodies that it’s time to sleep and promotes a rise in melatonin levels to help us fall asleep. Try to make sure bedrooms are dark – especially early in the year when sunset is still late. Each child will adjust to the schedule changes at a different pace. “It really depends on how much the schedule has changed over the summer,” Burman said. “On an average it takes one day for every 15 minutes of adjustment. If you have shifted your schedule by two hours, it will take around a week to eight days to adjust.”
When it comes to trying melatonin or other sleep aids, doctors advise that’s not the best approach for children. “Any over the counter (product) should be taken under the guidance of your primary care provider,” Burman said. “There are no sleep aids approved for management of sleep issues in children. If one chooses to use melatonin, less is more (around 0.5 mg), and it should be used two to three hours before the target bedtime.” She adds that without a consistent schedule, sleep aids are less likely to be helpful.
The bottom line is that consistency is a student’s best friend when it comes to sleep schedules:
- Have a plan for electronics at night and putting them away;
- Start early and anticipate challenges;
- Expose kids to bright light in the morning;
- Exercise in the morning may be helpful.
If you notice your child struggling to get out of bed in the morning, that’s a sign he or she may not be getting enough sleep or quality sleep. If the problems persist despite your best efforts, talk with your child’s pediatrician to help determine what’s causing the sleep deficit and what steps may help lead to a better night’s rest.