Back to Sleep
Returning to school after summer break is difficult for teacher, parent and student. One difficult part is returning to a healthy sleep routine. During the summer, everyone seems to stay up late, eat all night and wake up late. Getting back to normal sleep hygiene is difficult, especially when most attempts are the night before the first day of school. It is not difficult to start a new regimen. However, it takes effort, discipline, structure, and organization. Is this easier said than done ‘yes,’ but it is not impossible. For parents, the first step is to plan ahead. On Saturday and Sunday create your meals for the week. Meal prepping is an awesome way to free up precious time during the week. You will need to determine how much and what you are going to cook. You also do not have to spend money on eating out every night but the plan has to be in place. The meals you plan to cook prepare them on Sunday and freeze them, if needed. There are several recipes on Pinterest for slow cooker meals. Ironing clothes and cleaning the house can also free up those nighttime hours.The more ahead you get on Saturday and Sunday the more time you can spend helping with homework, talking about your child’s day, or attending extracurricular activities. This also means that things are completed for you to have a normal bed time.
For the kids, returning to a normal sleep routine should begin 4-5 days before the first day of school. If you have younger children with a specific bedtime, start by having them go to bed earlier each day by 30 min increments. For example, if your child’s bed time is 9:00pm, but they have been staying up until 11:00pm, have them go to bed at 10:30pm, 10:00pm, and so on. Start having your children engage in a quiet non-electronic activity about an hour before bed. Taking a shower and turning down bright lights also helps the brain know it’s time for rest and relaxation. Preparing for the next day, such as picking out clothes and preparing lunch, helps with savoring those last moments before waking because there is less to do once awake. It is important to know that children and adolescents need between 9-11 hours of sleep each day, which can be difficult. However, for healthy brain development and good focus, nothing beats a great night’s sleep. Now nightie-night…
