I’m in the midst of dealing with three kids who have jet lag. They’ve had it for six days now.
We recently returned from California and since then my kids have been going to bed at 11 p.m. It’s been difficult to re-adjust them to East Coast time. Each day I’ve tried something new.
One time, I skipped a nap thinking my son would be ready to go to bed early. That didn’t work, he fell asleep anyway. Another day I woke my son early from a nap, thinking he’d go back to his earlier bed time. That didn’t work either.
You could argue that no matter what, I should put them to bed at a reasonable time and let them just deal with it. But, the screaming from my 1 and 2-year-old and the whining from my 5-year-old about how she’s not tired, is just not something I want to endure. I totally get it though, they are waking up late and going to be bed late because their body clock is still three hours behind on Pacific time.
And just like that we are on the way home from California.
My little buddy has been asleep since takeoff. Not bad considering we are almost done with our first flight! ✈️
So, in an effort to get my oldest ready for back to school, I’ve discovered some tips from sleep experts to help me re-establish my children’s sleep routine.
Sealy, one of America’s most famous mattress brands, surveyed over 1,000 parents nationwide to learn more about back-to-school, back-to-sleep routines relating to sleep quality, schedules and routines.
The survey found 68% of parents said adjusting to a back-to-school sleep schedule was their biggest challenge. Glad to see I’m not alone here!
Sealy teamed up with the UNC School of Medicine’s Neurodiagnostics and Sleep Science Department to provide these tips to help families transition from summertime to a cohesive family sleep schedule.
From Summer to Fall: Sleep Tips for Transitioning Back To School
- No More Late Bedtimes – The recommended number of hours of sleep differs for each age group, but according to the National Sleep Foundation, school age (5-10 years) children should get 10-11 hours of sleep per night while teens (11-17 years) should plan on 8.5-9.5 hours of sleep each night.
- Shift Bedtime To Accommodate A Schedule For School – Starting a week or two before school starts, determine the number of hours your child’s bedtime needs to shift and gradually advance the bedtime and wake time to the appropriate time (by no more than 30 minutes per day).
- Turn Off Electronics Two To Three Hours Before Bedtime – “The sleep environment should be restful – meaning dark, quiet, comfortable and not distracting. Creating a relaxing bedtime routine, and associating your child’s bed with sleep can also help, which means keeping ‘sleep stealers’ out of the bedroom, such as computers, smart phones, TV, etc.,” Dr. Wells said.
- Keep in mind: Any type of electronic that emits blue light or revs up brain activity counteracts the body’s natural transition to sleep.
- Check Your Child’s Mattress – Thirteen percent of parents surveyed said the quality of the mattress had the biggest impact on quality sleep. “A good mattress can the difference of a transformative sleep and one leaving your child tossing and turning at night,” said Kevin Leatherwood, Senior Director of Global Product Development at Sealy. “Investing in a quality mattress for your child can be one of the most important items in transitioning your child back to school.”
- Soak Up Sunshine After You Wake Up – There are external cues called zeitgebers that help synchronize our sleep/wake rhythm. The sun is by far the most powerful zeitgeber, which can be used to help us orient to our desired routine. “If possible, have your child get outside for some sunshine in the morning soon after waking,” Dr. Wells says. “15 minutes will do the trick.”
