The Back to School Sleep Transition
Transitions can be really hard for kids of any age, and the back to school transition is one of the toughest.
So much time off, long sunny days, less structure, more free time, and looser schedules are traded in for school year busyness and demands seemingly overnight.
Here's the conundrum: bedtimes naturally migrate later as the summer progresses (following the natural rhythm of the sun), often reaching their latest just in time for early school bells.
Without advanced preparation, this can lead to some major overtiredness and sleep debt in that first week or two of school. Your kids will lose an hour or two of sleep until they adapt to their new routine and start falling asleep earlier.
Being overtired is not great for quality rest and sleep debt is not good for learning, executive functioning, or your child's mood.
So how are we going to enjoy these last two weeks of lazy summer evenings while also avoiding an overtired trainwreck come late August?
Here’s How:
If your kiddos haven't had a bedtime at all in the summer, now is a good time to start enforcing one.
Keep in mind that most school aged kids need around 10 hours of sleep at night.*
Figure out what time your child will need to be awake to make it to school on time.
Make sure that bedtime is at least 10 hours earlier than the necessary wake up time (e.g. if your kid needs to be up at 6:30AM, they should be asleep by 8:30PM)
Begin moving bedtime 15 minutes earlier every night (or two) until you are at your new target bedtime. Also begin waking your child up 15 minutes earlier than their typical wake up time.
Expose your child to natural light as soon as they are up and out of bed. This will help to ward off grogginess and grumpiness, and will also help to reprogram their clock for an earlier schedule.
Shift meal times 15 minutes earlier as well.
Continue with these 15 minute shifts until you've reached the target bedtime and wake up time for the school year.
*Sleep needs vary from one child to the next, but most 3 to 5 year olds need 10 to 13 hours of sleep per 24 hours to promote optimal health, most 6 to 12 year olds need 9 to 12 hours, and most 13 to 18 year olds need 8 to 10 hours.
Ideally, you'll be done with the schedule shift a few days before school starts. But don't sweat it if you’re not! Even if these changes are occurring during the first few weeks of school, you’re closer to that ideal bedtime than if you made no summer shifts!
Now is also a great time to focus on a consistent bedtime routine, which can help you & your family feel grounded even when things are changing or shifting. A bedtime routine is particularly important this year when many students are returning to in-person learning for the first time in a long time. A bedtime routine also supports kids who are continuing with virtual or at home learning by giving them structure & transition time before rest.
We know that no matter what Back to School season looks like for your family this year, rest is an important part of supporting your little learner.
If you have any questions or concerns, let us know! We are here to help.
Rest Well and Happy Back to School!
Get this kid more sleep!
With a little schedule shifting now, the transition back to school won’t be quite so exhausting.