Ah, the hazy lazy days of summer. The kids are out of school and it is time for fun and frivolity. It is a great time to be a kid, but those backyard barbecues and late nights catching fireflies can lead to a disrupted summer sleeping schedule, making the transition to back to school sleep that much tougher. eLuxury offers the following tips to help you plan your back to school bedtime routines early, so you can make the first days back to school easier for your kids and you.

When Should You Start Back to School Sleep?

It is important to start the transition to a back to school sleep schedule early, at least 2-3 weeks before the first day of school. Communicate with your child and let them be part of the planning process, and explain the reasons and benefits of starting a bedtime routine that you follow all through the school year.

How to Implement Back to School Sleep

It may be easiest to transition incrementally, moving their bedtime about 15 minutes earlier each time, adjusting your start date by when they go to bed in the summer and when their new back to school sleep bedtime will be.

It is also important to maintain this on weekends as well; otherwise, you will negate the progress you have made during the week and make Monday mornings that much more difficult.

Good Sleep Habits for Kids

A good night’s sleep can have a huge impact on your child’s abilities at school. Lack of sleep can hinder their ability to concentrate and comprehend. As a matter of fact, the National Sleep Foundation indicates that just 25 fewer minutes of sleep at night can result in lower grades.

There are a few simple things you can do to help your child get adequate sleep:

• NO DEVICES in the bedroom and they should not use any electronics for at least an hour before bed. The light from the devices and brain activity from playing games can be very disruptive to sleep.
• Sleep area should be cool, quiet, comfortable, and dark or dimly lit.
• Develop a relaxing and calming bedtime routine.
• Limit caffeine intake or have them avoid it altogether.
• Make sure they are getting plenty of daily exercise and following a healthy way of eating.

How Much Sleep Do Kids Need?

While it may seem like kids have an endless supply of energy, they still need to recharge those bio-batteries with a sound sleeping schedule. According to the Alaska Sleep Clinic, kids ages 5-8 need 10-11 hours of sleep per night, ages 9-12 need 9.5-10 hours per night, and teens ages 13-18 need 8.5-9.5 hours of sleep per night.

Help Kids Adjust to School Sleep Schedules

A little planning and persistence now will result in fewer crabby morning faces at the start of the school year, and will give them the kick-off they need for another successful school year.