Tips and tricks to help your kids sleep schedule get back on track for the new in-person school year.
Summer is winding down which means back to school is here, and for many parents and kids, that also means back to in-person school which adds its own activities to manage. With rolling out of bed 30 seconds before the virtual bell rings no longer an option, and complete access to the kitchen for healthy snacks as an energy boost throughout the day out of the picture, the benefits of regular sleep patterns are even more important to launching a successful school day.
A regular sleep schedule, quality sleep environment with great products that welcome you to bed, and overall healthy wellness habits all contribute to children’s academic success. From waking up on-time to catch the bus, to eating breakfast and lunches with foods that will keep them awake at school, to simply feeling happy and confident as they navigate new experiences and learn, developing healthy habits will be key to a successful school year.
A CDC study found that most American children and teenagers don’t sleep enough. Nearly six in 10 middle schoolers and at least seven in 10 high schoolers don’t sleep enough on school nights. Depending on their age, your child needs anywhere between eight and 12 hours of quality sleep each night in order to grow and develop properly.
Parents know quality sleep is critical for the learning development of our children and their success in school. Better sleep allows us to feel more alert and focused, giving us the motivation to get through the day as the best version of ourselves. Parents must be the teachers of the importance of great sleep from a young age as our children look to us for guidance.
Here are a few tips to guide your kids to prioritize sleep as the new in-person school year begins again:
Stick to a pattern - Start advising your kids to go to sleep at night and wake up each morning at the same time every day a few weeks before the school year starts - even on weekends. Getting into a regular sleep pattern is the best way to prevent grogginess when the morning alarm goes off on the first day. There’s much to do even before you leave for school, and starting the day as stress-free as possible is good for everyone!
No screens or TV before bed
During the summertime, it is more common to allow our kids to stay up a little later, have a movie night or play on their phones before bed. As we adjust to a normal sleep schedule and restart prioritizing quality sleep, put the phones and screens away at least one hour before bedtime. This helps us to not only stick to our bedtime routine, but avoiding the blue light from the screen helps us to get a deeper night’s sleep as well.
Include fresh sleep products in your back-to-school shopping list
Back-to-school shopping should not just be for first day outfits. Revamp your child’s sleep environment with fresh sleep products! For kids and teens, I recommend the Stay Fresh Duvet Insert from Pottery Barn Teen as a great option to have the largest impact on overall sleep quality. The Fresh Zone™ technology works to prevent odor and eliminate bacteria-driven allergens in the fill, allowing your kids to wake up feeling clean, refreshed and ready to take on the day.
Back to school means back to great sleep so your children can sleep deeper tonight and create the future they dream about tomorrow.
About Inventive Sleep® by Tracy Miller
Tracy Miller is a trusted inventor and innovator of dynamic, technology driven, and comfortable products for the home, and founder of Inventive Sleep™. Her engaging brands are found in millions of homes and hotels across the country. As a Sleep Products Innovator, Tracy is dedicated to helping people realize their dreams and goals starting with a great night’s sleep. Her reputation for combining proven and modern materials in everyday products including sheets, pillows, comforters, blankets and mattress pads, adds exciting new comfort and performance qualities consumers love to incorporate into their homes. Tracy is also the author of the weekly sleep blog Sleep Secrets and Inspirations. In it, she shares her expertise on materials research and design, and demystifies the sleep experience with an informative and fun-filled conversation on how sleep helps people with daily living, as well as some of her tips and tricks on picking your favorite products. For more information, visit www.inventivesleep.com. Sleep Tonight. Create Tomorrow.™