Here at The Alaska Sleep Clinic we understand the difficulties parents face in getting their children back into regular sleep routines Studies have shown that a lack of quality sleep in children can increase the likelihood of anxiety depression poor grades and school performance and even physical pain Research has proven that kids need a lot of sleep in order to function adequately during the day and sleep deprived children often overcompensate for lack of sleep by becoming fidgety or even disruptive in school
How much sleep does your child need every night
Children ages 5 8 need the most sleep requiring about 10 11 hours every night Children ages 9 12 need between 95 10 hours nightly And teenagers 13 18 need between 85 95
Knowing how much sleep your child needs every night is key in establishing a proper bedtime And its important to remember that the above times arent set in stone but merely general approximations Your child will have their own individual sleep needs and you may need to fine tune their bedtimes a little bit until you find your childless groggy and sleepy in the mornings and more alert and aware
Tips For Getting Your Children On a Regular Sleep Routine
Start the transition early Around 2 3 weeks before the start of the school year begin getting your children back into the routine of going to bed earlier Start by moving their bedtime back about 15 minutes from their normal summer schedule and gradually move back until they are going to bed at the appropriate school schedule time This way the first few weeks of school wont be such a shock as they wont have to play catch up with their new earlier rising times
Keep a regular bedtime schedule Its important to stay consistent with your childrens sleep routine once you begin the transition and this means on weekends too Allowing them to sleep in or stay up late on weekends can damage the routine youre trying to establish
Begin a relaxing bedtime routine Whatever routine you choose its important that its not overly stimulating and that you stay consistent with it Some common routines for children include
An hour or two of physical activity before dinnertime to help them wind down later
A relaxing bath after dinner
Reading a few chapters from a book with mom and dad
Doing nightly prayers or singing a lullaby
Having mom or dad turn off the lights and saying goodnight
Turn off electronics At least an hour before bedtime all electronics should be shut off or taken away This includes TV video games cell phones computers etc Not only is the content from these devices mentally stimulating but the artificial light emitting from them tricks the brain into thinking it needs to stay awake as it associates light with daytime
Create an ideal sleep environment Your kids should associate their bed with sleep and not other types of activities If they enjoy relaxing in their room during the daytime get them a beanbag chair for them to sit in as they read or play video games That way the bed is identified strictly with sleeping Make sure their room is cool 68 72 degrees quiet dimly lit and comfortable Try using white noise from a fan or a sound machine White noise creates a consistent rhythmic sound that can be relaxing while drowning out all other disruptive or sudden noises
Limit caffeine intake Caffeine is a stimulant and not very good for children anyway However if you dont want your kids up late at night its best to limit their caffeine intake after lunch and none within three hours of bedtime
Make sure they eat healthily and have regular exercise Its important that your children get plenty of exercise during the day which will help them wind down quicker later at night Healthy eating has been proven to promote quality sleep and its important to feed them foods that help them stay active and alert during the day but allow them to wind down at night Avoid feeding your children fatty foods and processed carbs as these foods will fill them up but dont contain the vitamins and nutrients needed to produce energy Foods rich in antioxidants amino acids vitamins and protein boost their daily energy levels without being followed by a crash like sugary or caffeinated foods and beverages
Communicate with your children Kids will naturally push back and getting them on a sleep schedule may be much more difficult than it sounds Its important that you talk with your children about the reasons why they have a specified bedtime and explain how its meant to help them feel good while theyre at school Also make sure to establish clear rules When going through their bedtime routine set the limit for the number of stories you will read them and what time lights out is
Practice these tips yourself These tips are not only beneficial to quality sleep in children but in adults as well Practicing these sleep habits yourself will increase your own energy during the daytime as well as set a positive example for your children Let your kids know that the back to school sleep program is for everybody and that the whole family participates in it
It is even more important to practice these tips if youre planning to go back to school If youre an active parent your best back to school option is to enroll in an online class as this makes it possible to spend enough time with the kids while having your studies It also makes it less challenging to create a healthy sleep schedule That means depending on the course you want to study you should look for academic institutions with online options For example you can enroll in a Marymount DNP course to become a doctor of nursing proactive
If you have other questions regarding your childrens sleep habits check out some more of our educational articles
Why is my Child Snoring
Seasonal Affect Disorder SAD and how it affects children
Signs that your child may need a sleep study
