Restoring kids’ back-to-school sleep schedule

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FOR MANY CHILDREN, the lazy days of summer end this month as they head back to school. During the summer, children tend to go to sleep and awaken later than they do during the school year. When school resumes, children must go to sleep and awaken at earlier times. In August, days are still long and a child may have trouble going to sleep in bright daylight. In addition, a child’s circadian rhythm (often called the “biological clock”) is “set” for a later sleep and wakeup time. The impact of these factors contributes to the frustration many parents feel when struggling to awaken their children at the beginning of the school year. However, this struggle is not inevitable. Adjusting your child’s sleep schedule before school starts and maintaining it throughout the school year can be helpful in avoiding back-to-school sleepiness and in enhancing your child’s academic success. The following tips can help restore your child’s back-to-school sleep schedule and help maintain good sleep habits throughout the year.

To restore your child’s school sleep-wake schedule:

• For 10 to 14 days before the start of school, gradually make your child’s bedtime and wake time earlier (e.g., by 15-30 minutes each day). This will help reset your child’s biological clock to the new schedule by school time. For example:

Bedtime Wake time

Day 0 (summer schedule) 10:00 p.m. 8:00 a.m.

Day 1 9:45 p.m. 7:45 a.m.

Day 2 9:30 p.m. 7:30 a.m.

Day 3 9:15 p.m. 7:15 a.m.

Day 4 9:00 p.m. 7:00 a.m.

Day 5 8:45 p.m. 6:45 a.m.

Day 6 8:30 p.m. 6:30 a.m.

Day 7 8:15 p.m. 6:15 a.m.

Day 8 8:00 p.m. 6:00 a.m.

Day 9 (onward) 8:00 p.m. 6:00 a.m.

Once your child is going to sleep and awakening at the desired earlier time, maintain the schedule. When school begins, your child’s biological clock will have been “reset.”

To maintain good sleep habits in your child throughout the year:

• Maintain a consistent sleep-wake schedule. By doing so, your child will naturally want to awaken and go to sleep at the desired times.

• Restrict your child’s use of digital devices (e.g., tablets, phones) at one hour or more before bedtime. Digital device screens emit blue light, which stimulates wakefulness and reduces the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps a person go to sleep.

• Keep your child physically active throughout the day.

Daytime activity will help your child sleep at night. However, your child should avoid strenuous exercise three hours before bedtime since this can stimulate wakefulness.

• Dim indoor lighting at least one to two hours before your child’s bedtime to stimulate melatonin production and help your child go to sleep. To block bright sunlight coming through windows, cover your child’s bedroom windows with a dark cover (e.g., cardboard) or replace light-colored curtains with room-darkening curtains, blinds, or shades.

• Do not allow your child to consume caffeine-containing foods, such as chocolate, tea, and certain soft drinks (e.g., Mountain Dew, Red Bull), soon before bedtime. Caffeine stimulates wakefulness.

Regina Patrick, RPSGT, RST, is a freelance writer/editor and a registered sleep technologist. She has been involved in the sleep field for more than 30 years.

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