Fall brings school, and with it, trying to adjust your child's sleep schedule. For many of us, we become a little more lax in the summer time with bedtimes -- it stays light longer in the summer, and for some of us, that means that we allow our children to stay up a bit later and sleep in a little longer. Sleep experts recommend keeping a regular bedtime that is the same on week nights AND weekends, but many of us don't do that - for our kids or ourselves. This means for many families that we have to work to adjust our children's bedtimes since they will have to get up earlier for school once the school year begins.
Start by adjusting your children's bedtimes back by 30 min. every few days until you get to your desired bedtime. Have a relaxing bedtime routine every night starting 30 min. before bedtime - this may include bath or shower, reading a book, etc. Limit screen time (TV, tablets, video games, cellphones) as the blue light from devices can interfere with sleep.
Average numbers for total hours of sleep per day based on ages (naps count too):
newborns 14-17 hours
infants/babies 4-11 months 12-15 hours
toddlers 1-2 yrs old 11-14 hours
preschoolers 3-5 yrs old 10-13 hours
school age kids 6-13 yrs old 9-11 hours
Many adolescents do not get the recommended amount of sleep. The recent AAP policy recommends that teenagers get at least 8.5 hours of sleep per night, but this is a general recommendation and each child is different as far as how much sleep they need - some may seem to need 10 hours a night, and some as little as 7 hours. A recent study showed that 59% of 6th-8th graders and 87% of high school students obtained less than the recommended 8.5 hours. Natural changes occur in adolescents' circadian rhythm, resulting in decreased secretion of melatonin and delayed onset of sleep. The AAP also advocates for later public and private school start times, allowing adolescents to get an extra hour of sleep.
I have previously addressed sleep hygiene on this blog, and will stress the importance of a relaxing bedtime routine for about 30 minutes before bed. This can include a bath/shower, reading and "winding down" relaxation activities. It is important to limit "blue screen" time such as computer use, video games, tablets, or cell phone use. The blue light from devices such as these can decrease your natural melatonin production, and can make falling asleep difficult.
Lack of sleep in teenagers can also cause increases in their caffeine intake. People who drink excessive amounts of caffeine are twice as likely to have sleep issues and shortened REM sleep. Your teen should avoid caffeine (especially later in the day and evening) and eating at late hours to improve their sleep quality.
