Though it may seem like summer just started, the new school year is right around the corner. And if your kids have spent their break participating in sleepovers, camps, evening sports and family gatherings that stretch past their normal bedtime, they may need help easing back into a school-year sleep schedule.

How Much Sleep Is Enough?

When students get the proper amount of sleep at night, they are better able to stay focused and concentrate at school, helping to improve academic performance.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends the following amounts of sleep for children:

• Ages 3 to 5 – 10 to 13 hours (including naps) per 24 hours
  
  
• Ages 6 to 12 – nine to 12 hours per 24 hours
  
  
• Ages 13 to 18 – eight to 10 hours per 24 hours

There may be health benefits to adequate rest, too. Children and adolescents who do not get enough sleep have a higher risk for health issues such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, poor mental health and injuries. They are also more likely to have attention and behavior problems.

How Do You Establish a New Sleep Schedule?

Start with setting a specific bedtime for your child. If they’ve been staying up late, make a gradual transition to school-year sleep times. AASM recommends the following strategy:

• A few weeks before school begins, have your child go to bed 15 minutes earlier and wake up 15 minutes earlier.
  
  
• Every few days, adjust their bedtime and wakeup time by 15 minutes.
  
  
• Keep adjusting bedtime and wakeup times by 15 minutes until your child is falling asleep and waking up at the times needed for school.
  
  
• By the first day of school, they should be adjusted to the new sleep schedule.

Your child may have trouble getting used to an earlier bedtime. If at any step of the transition they don’t fall asleep within 20 minutes of going to bed, let them come out of their room for a quiet activity, away from blue light, that will help them become sleepy before they go back to bed.

What Are Good Sleep Habits?

To help children get a good night’s sleep:

• Make sure they follow a consistent bedtime routine – the same set of activities before bedtime.
  
  
• Limit light exposure and technology use in the evenings.
  
  
• Keep their bedroom dark, cool and peaceful at night.
  
  
• Limit their caffeine intake.

Talk with your healthcare provider if your child resists bedtime, has nighttime awakenings or snores even with healthy sleep routines.

Looking for a Provider?

If you are looking for a primary care provider, Aultman Medical Group Primary Care has more than 80 providers ready to take care of you and your family. Many of our offices are accepting new patients – and more than likely, we have a location in your community.

Visit aultman.org/NewDoc to find a provider in your area who is accepting new patients, or call the new patient hotline at 330-433-1264 for assistance with scheduling your appointment.

Sources:
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The StayWell Company, LLC