Tips to Create a School-Friendly Sleep Schedule

Why is sleeping important for children's health?

Children of all ages, including teenagers, need adequate sleep to be healthy and active. Quality sleep is vital for everything from physical growth and development to concentrating and performing well at school. 

Lack of sleep can cause a variety of health issues, including a higher risk of obesity, diabetes and mental health problems. 

The National Sleep Foundation recommends the following sleep times: 

• Preschoolers (ages 3-5): 10-13 hours (including naps) 
• School-age children (ages 6-13): 9-11 hours 
• Teenagers (ages 14-17): 8-10 hours 

Tips for a School-Friendly Sleep Routine

Use these tips to get your children’s sleep schedules back on track and be ready to tackle the first day of school well-rested and refreshed.
 
 

Tip 1: Plan ahead

Don’t wait until the day before school starts to re-establish a school sleep routine. It’s important to start setting the pace a few weeks before school begins. Start gradually.

Back bedtime up by 15 minutes and wake your children 15 minutes earlier. For example, if your child has been going to sleep at 10:30 p.m. and waking at 9 a.m., then send them to bed at 10:15 p.m. and wake them at 8:45 a.m. Over a couple of weeks, you’ll have helped your child adjust to a more school-appropriate sleeping schedule.

Tip 2: Make children part of the plan

If children understand the importance of getting good sleep, then they’re more willing to accept an earlier bedtime. Share with them that sleep is vital to good health, will help them succeed in school, and will give them more energy to play with their friends and participate in extracurricular activities. 

For older children who play sports, remind them that their bodies need sleep to grow and repair muscles, release growth hormones and retain information learned during team practices. 

Tip 3: Be consistent

Stick to a consistent bedtime and waking schedule on weekends and during school breaks. Otherwise, your children will feel “jet-lagged” when it’s time to return to school. 

Tip 4: Establish a routine

Children of all ages thrive on routine, especially when it comes to bedtime. A warm bath or shower helps set the tone for bed. The warm water lowers the body’s core temperature, signaling the brain that it’s time for sleep. Next, children can brush and floss their teeth, followed by a book or story. Older children may find reading a book, journaling or listening to soft music helps prepare their bodies for sleep. 

Tip 5: Limit screen time before bed

Some evidence suggests that hours of light from cell phones, tablets and laptops trick our bodies into thinking it’s still light outside, making it harder to fall asleep. The stimulation from electronic social interaction also makes it harder to fall asleep. Turn off electronics an hour before bed so your body is ready to fall asleep. 

Tip 6: Ease into the year

Participating in multiple clubs, sports or activities can create anxiety for children. Gradually add out-of-school activities to help children adjust to the new routine without causing stress or time commitments interfering with sleep. 

Tip 7: Create the right environment

A cool, dark room is the best environment for sleeping. Use blackout curtains, white-noise machines or fans to create a soothing environment. Lavender spray on a pillow or from a diffuser also signals the body that it’s time to sleep. Additionally, don’t do homework in bed. The brain needs a clear signal that the bed is the place for sleeping—not worrying about tomorrow’s math test.

Tip 8: Avoid naps

Understandably, some children need a nap after school. But if it’s hard to fall asleep at bedtime, eliminate even short afternoon snoozes. 

Tip 9: Cut out caffeine

The half-life of caffeine can be six hours or longer. If your teenager has a latte at 3 p.m., half the caffeine from that drink is still in their body at 9 p.m. That makes sleeping next to impossible. That, coupled with a natural later circadian sleep shift that teens experience at puberty, makes sleep initiation very difficult.

Tip 10: Get some sunlight 

Light from the sun tells the body that it’s time to wake up. Without that signal, getting going in the morning can be difficult. Opening the curtains, eating breakfast on a patio or especially taking a quick walk in natural light may help children get moving. 

Learn more about sleep medicine services offered at Catholic Health.