By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
As summer vacation winds down, many families are preparing for one of the biggest back-to-school challenges—getting children out of bed for those early morning alarms.
Health experts say the best way to avoid the first-week struggle is to begin resetting sleep schedules before school starts. Instead of making a sudden change, parents should move bedtime and wake-up time 15 to 30 minutes earlier every few days until children are back on their school routine.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, children ages 6 to 12 need 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night, while teens ages 13 to 18 should get 8 to 10 hours. Adequate sleep supports learning, memory, attention, emotional well-being and classroom performance.
Parents can also create a consistent bedtime routine by packing backpacks, laying out clothes, preparing lunches and limiting screen time before bed. Replacing phones and tablets with reading, relaxing music or a warm bath can help children fall asleep more easily.
Morning habits matter, too. Opening curtains, eating breakfast and getting natural sunlight shortly after waking can help reset the body’s internal clock.
Experts also encourage parents to watch for signs of ongoing sleep problems, including loud snoring, frequent nightmares, trouble waking up or excessive daytime sleepiness. If these symptoms continue, families should consult their pediatrician.
By establishing healthy sleep habits now, parents can help children begin the school year feeling rested, focused and ready to learn.