News & Blog

Get Bedtime Back On Track Before School Starts

Aug 23, 2019

The school summer holidays are a fun and exciting time for children but later nights and sleeping in for hours on end can be disruptive to bedtimes.

In less than a week the holiday period ends and kids head back to the classroom. The switch from fun to a more structured day affects the body clock making it difficult to readjust to waking up for a normal ‘school’ day.

We are advising parents to get their kids bedtime back on track before they return. And don’t wait until a couple of days before your child starts back at school or you may find you have a battle on your hands. Start now and give it at least a week to prepare, ensuring they get back to their usual bed and wake-up times.

We recommend a steady transitional routine – start by backing up the time kids hit the sack by about 15 minutes every three days.  If children return at the start of a new term tired, they will likely have poor concentration, lack of energy and increased irritability!

With sleep deprivation known to affect everything from a child’s attention span to their planning and problem-solving skills and behaviour, re-establishing a good sleep routine is vital in the back to school countdown.

Sleep deprivation affects every aspect of a child’s life, from friends and family relationships to school performance and their general mood. So, by ensuring they get plenty of good quality and quantity of sleep each night, parents can really help their child fulfil their potential

Sleep is especially important for children as it directly impacts mental and physical development. Young children need around 10-11 hours sleep a night, older children around nine. Lack of sleep can make children irritable and can lead to mood swings, behavioural problems such as hyperactivity and cognitive problems that affects their ability to learn in school.

It’s also important to have a proper wind down routine before bedtime. Try putting away toys and particularly electronic items, an hour before they go to bed. A bath followed by a warm milky drink and reading them a book is a simple and effective wind-down. This gets children relaxed and ready for bed. Make sure that the bed is comfy and welcoming too – and never send children to bed as a sanction, bedtime should be a positive time!