WATCH ABOVE: With the back-to-school season upon us, many parents are fretting about the annual struggle to get their kids off a summer routine and back to a school one. Dr. Samir Gupta provides tips on how to get your kids prepared for school in this week’s On Call.
More On Call with Dr. Samir Gupta stories on Globalnews.ca
TORONTO — With the back-to-school season in full gear, many parents are fretting about the annual struggle of getting their kids to bed earlier so that they can wake up in time for school.
The issue is that most kids have more erratic sleep hours in the summer months, and generally end up sleeping and waking up later than they do in the school year.
So how do we get them back into a timely and regular sleep pattern for school? It’s all about what we call good sleep hygiene.
READ MORE: 4 tips to get kids on a back-to-school sleep schedule
Here are some tips for preparing your child’s sleep cycle for the school year.
The first key to moving the sleep time earlier is to do it gradually.
This means about two weeks before school starts, begin moving sleep times up in 15 to 30 minute increments per night.
And it’s important not to let them sleep in — move the wake time up by the same amount of time, so that they get used to waking up earlier as well.
Finally, stick to this schedule through weekdays and weekends, so that the body gets conditioned to it.
READ MORE: Back to school: The hunt for play-doh and other quirky school supplies
For kids who have trouble sleeping early, it’s also very helpful to establish a bedtime routine.
Choose some relaxing activity like reading a book or taking a bath, and make it a routine activity that is exactly the same every night, that the child will then associate with sleep.
Also, it’s very important to avoid activities that will “activate” kids and get their adrenaline pumping right before bed.
This includes activities like playing video games, watching television, and playing on mobile devices.
READ MORE: Packing a healthy back-to-school lunch
If your child is old enough to have a cell phone, leave it outside of the bedroom for sleep time, because studies show that a majority of kids will use the cell phone in bed, and this will interfere with sleep.
Not only do they provide lots of stimulation, but phones also emit so called “blue light,” which has been shown to suppress the naturally occurring sleep hormone melatonin.
Also, it’s very important to avoid caffeine for at least 6 hours before bedtime, and although most kids don’t drink coffee, don’t forget that carbonated drinks often contain a lot of caffeine and can wreak havoc with sleep-wake cycles.
Also, make sure that the child’s bedroom is conducive to sleep – minimize noise and light in the bedroom, and ensure that the temperature is on the cooler side.
Finally, exercise has been shown to improve insomnia by helping to normalize the circadian rhythm (the body’s sleep-wake cycle).
Exercise in the daytime is associated with a stronger sleep drive, falling asleep faster, and staying asleep longer in both adults and kids.
Kids should exercise regularly for at least 20 minutes, ideally more than four hours prior to bedtime.
Comments