Setting a Back-To-School Sleep Schedule

I know many of us parents are losing sleep anticipating sending our kids back to school amidst a raging COVID-19 delta variant. And it’s true, it is a freaky time for parents. However, there’s one thing you can put to rest, and that’s how to set your child up for a smooth transition from the laid-back bedtimes of summer to the more consistent routines of the school year. And ensuring that your child gets enough rest while they are learning is so vital–sleep plays an important role in helping to consolidate memory and file away what is and is not important from their days of learning.  Another key benefit that should perk up all of your parental protection ears: adequate sleep boosts kids’ immune system. 

So how do you transition your child to a school-year sleep schedule. Well for starters, if you have two weeks of lead time you can start by moving up their wake-up time by fifteen minutes. Do this again every three days leading up to the Friday before school starts. This will help them set their circadian rhythm so they awake at the time they need to.

This shift in their wake time should naturally lead to an earlier bedtime, as they should get sleepy earlier in the evening. You can strengthen this by keeping a good bedtime routine, shutting down all electronic devices at least one hour before bed. Then have them move through their usual routine, which may include some variation of bath/shower, brushing teeth, reading books, telling stories, singing songs. The specifics of the routine don’t really matter, just that you have a routine. What this does is prime your child’s brain to know that it’s time for bed, and the brain begins the shutdown process to head to slumberville.  

If your child will be napping or having quiet time at school (depending their age), you can start to shift their nap according to the time the school holds quiet time. Don’t worry if you don’t accomplish this part, though, as children are quite adept at adjusting to school routines. They look around and see that everyone is doing the same thing, and kids will follow suit.

These are just a few tips to make the transition back to school easier. If your child has more serious sleep issues, such as difficulty falling asleep, multiple middle-of-the-night awakenings, nightmares or night terrors, sleepwalking or resisting sleeping in their own bed, it’s a good idea to consult with your child’s pediatrician to determine if a consult with a pediatric sleep specialist is warranted.