It may be hard to believe, but the summer schedule is coming close to an end and school will be back in full force before you know it. If you are like the majority of families, summer may have had an impact on good sleeping habits and routines. Transitioning into a new school year may require some additional preparation and transition time. Therefore, if good sleeping habits are established ahead of time, the transition back to the first week of school will hopefully be smoother and easier to manage.
Sleep is an important occupation for your child’s health, development and readiness to engage in daily activities. Children may require varying needs in terms of hours they sleep each night based on their individual needs. It is suggested that children between 3-5 years old get about 10 to 13 hours of sleep per night. If your child is between the ages of 6-13 years, 9 to 11 hours is recommended. However, it is important to recognize how much sleep your child requires to feel rest rested and participate in their daily activities. Healthy sleep habits are an important skill for your child to learn and develop.
Please see below for a simple check list that you can begin implementing at home to reset your child’s circadian rhythm and help with healthy sleep routines.
Checklist for good sleep habits
- Use the bed for sleeping only. Doing other activities in bed can make it hard for your child’s brain to associate their bed with sleep.
- Establish a regular “wind down” routine 30 minutes before bedtime to help them with transitioning to sleep. Keep the routine calming and in a specific order each night. Include activities such as dressing for bedtime, brushing teeth, reading, etc. Incorporate deep breaths or thinking positive images to help your child relax.
- Establish a bedtime and wake time and implement it every single day of the week. Stay firm with the bedtime routine and timing and do not allow an extension for “Just one more (fill in the blank)? Pleeeeeese!”
- At least an hour prior to bedtime, eliminate activities such as watching television, doing chores, physical exercise, video games, or any other excessively stimulating activity that could cause conflict.
- Remove foods and drinks that contain sugar or caffeine from the late afternoon and throughout evening time.
- If your child is having trouble sleeping, try reading a book that isn’t too stimulating for about 20 minutes.
- Consistency is key! Keep it up!
Thank you for reading!