How to reset your child's sleep schedule for back-to-school season
- Experts recommend easing kids back into a sleep routine before the school year starts.
- Preschoolers need up to 13 hours of sleep, tweens need 9 to 12 hours, and teenagers need 8 to 10 hours.
- Setting earlier bedtimes a week or two before school can help adjust sleep schedules.
- Parents should avoid heavy meals and screen time before bed, focusing on relaxing activities instead.
- Talking to children about their anxieties can help them manage first-day jitters.
After a summer of vacations and late nights, it’s time to set those back-to-school alarms. A good night’s sleep helps students stay focused and attentive in class. Experts say it’s worth easing kids back into a routine with the start of a new school year.
The amount of sleep kids need changes as they age. Preschoolers should get up to 13 hours of sleep. Tweens need between nine and 12 hours. Teenagers do best with eight to 10 hours of shut-eye. To get back on track, experts recommend setting earlier bedtimes a week or two before the first day of school or gradually going to bed 15 to 30 minutes earlier each night.
Parents can adjust their back-to-school plans based on what works best for their child. If they stay up too late and don’t have the best morning, it can be a learning experience too. In the morning, soaking in some daylight by sitting at a window or going outside can help train the brain to power up.
Sleep quality matters just as much as duration. First-day jitters can make it hard to fall asleep no matter how early the bedtime. Parents can talk to their kids to find out what is making them anxious and try a test run of stressful activities before school starts to make those tasks feel less scary.
如何为孩子的返校季重设睡眠时间表
经过一个充满假期和熬夜的夏天，是时候设置返校的闹钟了。良好的睡眠有助于学生在课堂上保持专注和注意力。专家表示，在新学年开始时，让孩子逐渐恢复规律是值得的。
孩子所需的睡眠时间会随着年龄的增长而变化。学龄前儿童需要最多13小时的睡眠，青少年需要9到12小时，青少年最好有8到10小时的睡眠。为了恢复正常，专家建议在开学前一两周提前就寝，或逐渐每晚提前15到30分钟上床。
家长可以根据孩子的情况调整返校计划。如果他们熬夜到太晚，早晨状态不佳，这也可以成为一个学习的经验。早晨，通过坐在窗边或外出享受阳光可以帮助大脑恢复活力。
睡眠质量与时长同样重要。开学的紧张情绪可能会让孩子很难入睡，无论就寝时间多么早。家长可以与孩子交谈，了解他们的焦虑来源，并在开学前进行一些压力活动的模拟，以使这些任务感觉不那么可怕。