ARKANSAS, USA — Sleep, it’s something we all need, but it’s also something that might be hard to get, especially when trying to get used to a back-to-school schedule.
"Being consistent is the most important thing in sleep," said sleep specialist at Arkansas Children's Hospital Dr. Supriya Jambhekar.
This means going to bed around the same time and waking up around the same time every day, even on the weekends. And this isn’t just for kids, its recommended for adults too.
Bedtimes are a great way to keep your kids on track. If their back-to-school bedtime is earlier than their summer bedtime, here’s something to try over the weekend and into the week.
“Wake them up earlier, have them sleep deprived for that one night so that they fall asleep earlier the next night and then they can sleep better," Dr. Jambhekar said.
Because you are waking them up earlier, they might get tired during the day, but Dr. Jambhekar says naps are a no-go.
"So during this transition period when your children are a little sleep deprived, it’s very important they don’t take naps when they come home from school," she said.
And with no naps, you might think caffeine will help.
"It should be before 3 p.m. because it will last into the night and affect your sleep," Dr. Jambhekar said.
Another thing that can affect sleep is electronics. Turns out watching videos and playing games on your phone doesn’t help relax you or the kiddos.
“The light from that electronic, it suppresses the melatonin from your brain so you’re not going to be able to fall asleep," Dr. Jambhekar said.
So, the best thing to do is take away electronics a few hours before bedtime and find a different way to help your kids unwind.
“Keeping the last half an hour for maybe a warm shower, not hot not cold, but warm shower, dimming the lights or maybe even reading," Dr. Jambhekar said.
These are all steps Dr. Jambhekar recommends taking, but wants you to be mindful that a true sleep schedule and routine could take days or even weeks to get used to.
It’s also important to make sure your kids are active during the day so they can fall asleep at night.
The CDC says preschool-aged kids need 11-14 hours of sleep a night, grade school kids need 9-12 hours and teenagers need 8-10 hours each night in order to function best.
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