From Zzzs to As: Healthy Sleep is Key for Back-to-School Success

National Sleep Foundation and Endeavor Therapy & Sleep Center urge parents and kids to make sleep a priority during the school year and offer tips for back-to-school sleep schedules

Mequon, WI- Start of the new school year is right around the corner. Johnny and Jenny have enjoyed late bedtimes and getting up late in the morning for nearly three months. Now, it’s time to face the question on the minds of parents and students everywhere— how to get back to a regular sleep schedule?

Karen Block, administrator of Endeavor Therapy & Sleep Center of Mequon encourages parents and kids to put healthy sleep on the list of back-to-school necessities. "With school just a couple of weeks away, now’s the time to start gradually adjusting sleep schedules to ensure the student will be alert and energized in the classroom," says Block.

All children — even adolescents — need more sleep than adults. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s (NSF) 2004 and 2006 Sleep in America polls, which focused on children aged 0-10 and 11-17 respectively, most kids in the U.S. do not get the amount of sleep experts recommend. Optimal sleep is essential to children's health, safety and academic performance and kids who do not sleep well are more likely to have behavioral problems and face academic challenges.

Additionally, teens are at risk of "driving while drowsy." Crashes attributed to inadequate sleep are particularly common among drivers aged 25 and younger.

Parents may also find themselves unprepared for the sleep challenges that the new school year brings. Many need to wake up earlier in order to pack lunches, drive their kids to school or help them get to the bus stop on time. Often it’s mothers, who are already sleep-deprived, who handle these tasks. NSF's 2007 Sleep in America poll revealed that 60% of women in the U.S. report only getting a good night's sleep a few nights a week or less, leaving them time-pressed, stressed-out and too tired for romance and spending time with their friends.

Block recommends these sleep tips to help parents and children to start the school year strong:

  • Gradually adjust to earlier sleep and wake schedules ten days to two weeks before school begins. This will set biological clocks to the new schedule.
  • Keep a regular sleep schedule, and avoid extremes on weekends. Having a regular bedtime increases the likelihood that kids — including teens — will get optimal sleep.
  • Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. Reading before bed is a good choice for kids of all ages and for parents.
  • Create a sleep environment that is cool, quiet, dimly lit and comfortable.
  • Keep television, video games and other electronics out of the bedroom. NSF's 2006 Sleep in America poll revealed that having electronic devices in the bedroom is associated with an increased risk of falling asleep in class and while doing homework. Eliminate exposure to electronic media (television, video and computer games etc.) within an hour of bedtime.
  • Limit caffeine, especially after lunchtime.
  • Eat well and exercise.

NSF's 2006 poll also showed an awareness gap between kids and their parents. While more than half of adolescents reported not getting the sleep they need, 90% percent of parents felt that their adolescent was getting enough sleep. Parents should talk to their children about their sleep and seek help for any apparent sleep problems.

Block notes that kids learn by example. So, here are more sleep- smart pointers for parents:

  • Be an example. By practicing good sleep habits, your kids are less likely to adopt bad ones.
  • Talk to your kids about the importance of healthy sleep and the consequences of sleepiness, including drowsy driving.
  • Recognize that children - including teens - need more sleep than adults.
  • Children who have difficulty waking in the morning on more than three days a week or who snore may not be getting adequate sleep or should be evaluated by a specialist.
  • Establish a one-hour "electronic-free" time before bedtime.
  • Ask teachers whether your child is alert or sleepy during class and take steps to improve your child's sleep if you feel that he or she may have a sleep problem.