Why A Consistent Summer Sleep Schedule Matters? Tips for Kid’s Summer Sleep Routine Update 11/2024

For families with children, the summer months can bring a major upheaval in their daily routine. Summer vacation means that your child’s routine bedtime has been replaced with the Wild West. You may have a child that sleeps whenever he or she wants, or a child who takes naps until well after midday. The importance of a regular bedtime, even during the warmer months, cannot be overstated. Your child’s health and development depend on a regular summer sleep routine.

Why a consistent summer sleep schedule matters

You must be consistent if you want to help your children create a good sleep schedule for the summer. Sleeping at the same time each night helps children obtain a better night’s rest. This ensures that youngsters grow up healthy, strong, and well-adjusted.
4 Tips to Manage Your Child's Summer Sleep Schedule | "Healthy@UH" Health Articles| University Hospitals | Cleveland, OH | University Hospitals

Consistent sleep patterns have been demonstrated to improve academic performance, conduct, and attention span in youngsters. Maintaining a consistent sleep pattern throughout the year is beneficial for cultivating good sleep hygiene and good sleep habits. However, a sleep pattern that is inconsistent can throw off the circadian cycles of the body, ultimately resulting in sleep deprivation. In reality, behavioral issues might arise as a result of sleep deprivation.

Sleeping longer in the summer may be acceptable for some people, but a consistent sleep routine is still necessary. When the sun is still shining, it can be difficult to get children to go to sleep. Even if you don’t stick to the same 8:00 bedtime as during the school year, you should still wake up and go to bed at the same time every day of the week.

If you decide to let your kids stay up longer, keep in mind that when school starts again, they will have to go to bed sooner. If their bedtime is closer to their original bedtime, they will have an easier time adjusting. If you’re used to going to sleep at 9:00, you’ll have a much simpler time getting into the habit of going to bed at 8 instead of 11.

Dialing in a regular summer sleep schedule

Then, make it a point to get yourself to bed at that hour every night. If you stick to your routine, you’ll get better outcomes.

Make sure that your child gets a good night’s sleep each night by ensuring that the bedtime you set is reasonable. According to the Sleep Foundation, your child requires the following amount of sleep per night.

  • Newborns (0-3 months) need 14-17 hours
  • Infants (4-11) months need 12-15 hours
  • Toddlers (1-2 years) need 11-14 hours
  • Preschoolers (3-5 years) need 10-13 hours
  • School age children (6-13 years) need  9 to 11 hours of sleep
  • Teenagers (14-17 years) need 8 to 10 hours of sleep
  • Younger adults (18-25 years) need 7 to 9 hours of sleep

Make a bedtime routine for your kids to help them wind down and get ready for sleep. Perhaps a bath or shower, followed by a cleaning of teeth, and then a bedtime tale would be a good place to start?

Using devices before bed has been found to reduce the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.

Use blackout drapes or blinds to create a calming ambiance by blocking the summer evening sunshine from the child’s room.

Summer bedtimes differ widely across neighbors. Your child may be kept awake by the sound of lawnmowers, yells, and laughter. If your child is having trouble sleeping because of a noisy neighborhood, consider investing in a white noise machine or some soft music to drown out the outside noise.

Making bedtime a pleasurable experience might encourage youngsters to look forward to it instead of dreading it.
Summer Sleep Schedule: The Importance of Consistency for Children - Legacy Academy - Frisco, TXLegacy Academy – Frisco, TX

Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedule

When children don’t have to get up in the morning to go to school, they tend to sleep in longer and get up later. Adolescents, who naturally have later bedtimes as they grow older, are much more prone to this propensity, as they have to get up early the next day. As a result of these considerations, you may wish to let your children to sleep in later throughout the summer. It’s still important that their bedtime and wakeup time be regular, so that kids get enough sleep each night.

A regular nighttime ritual can aid in the maintenance of a regular sleep schedule. Encourage your child to begin their bedtime routine about an hour before they go to sleep. Pajamas and brushing teeth could be part of this routine, as well as turning down the lights and reading a bedtime tale. They may not want a bedtime tale, but they can still read or perform light stretching to help them wind down at night. During this time, make sure they don’t use any electronic devices. Blue light from cell phones, tablets, and TVs can disrupt sleep.

Promote Healthy Daytime Habits

No matter how much time you have to yourself during the day, how well you sleep at night has a direct correlation to how much time you spend doing things during the day. For instance, children who are more physically active during the daytime tend to sleep better at night. Even though further research is needed, it appears that a healthy diet can help people get a good night’s sleep. Insist that your children engage in regular physical activity and consume a balanced diet rich in fresh produce and whole grains.

Keep the Bedroom Cool and Dark

Summertime sleep hygiene is all about altering the bedroom environment to match the season. Summertime in many parts of the world tends to be drier and hotter. Curtains with blackout panels might help keep your youngster from being woken too early in the morning by the sun’s rays. These drapes block out all light. Eye masks can also be used to block out possibly disturbing light if those aren’t a possibility. You might also want to think about bringing your activities indoors an hour before you go to bed as the days become longer. As a result, your body will know that it’s time to go to sleep.

The use of a fan or the air conditioning can also assist your children and teenagers sleep better in the summertime. People are more likely to have sleep disturbances when it is too hot outside. Don’t let your children’s bedding restrict their ability to adjust their body temperature at night if you’re concerned about the temperature of the room.

Minimize Jet Lag and Vacation Sleep Disturbances

Preventing sleep deprivation when traveling is important when on a family trip or sending the kids off to summer camp. If feasible, allow your children to bring their own pillows and blankets. Emotional and bodily comfort can be provided by these items, which can also be used to make flying or driving more comfortable and ideal for sleeping.

The effects of jet lag might be minimized if your children are flying to a new time zone. In the days preceding up to the vacation, consider shifting their bedtimes so they get used to staying up later or going to bed earlier, based on the time zone in which they’ll be traveling. If they’re still hungry when you arrive, make sure they eat meals on the new time zone’s schedule. Finally, have them spend some time outside during the day’s rays, which will help them adjust to the new time zone.

Prepare for Back-to-School in Advance

Summer break can be disrupted for a variety of reasons, and it can have a bad impact on your children’s sleep and the start of the new school year. Preparation for the new school year should begin a week or two in advance to avoid this If your children have been staying up later and later, it’s a good idea to gradually bring their bedtimes up. It’ll be easier for them to get to sleep on the first day of school because they’ll be well-rested by then.

Tips for Kid’s Summer Sleep Routine

This season brings children joy and independence. Having a regular sleep schedule, on the other hand, aids in the development of healthy bodies and minds. And it also helps to maintain a cheerful disposition. Sleeping in is enticing when there is no school or daycare to get up for. Going to bed at a reasonable hour is becoming increasingly difficult as the sun sets later and later each night. We’re here to help you keep your kids on track with a summer sleep schedule with our best advice.

Get The Proper Amount of Sleep:

It’s critical to choose a sleep plan that allows your children to obtain the recommended amount of sleep. All kinds of problems can arise if they don’t get enough or even too much sleep. The following is a list of the recommended daily amount of sleep for your child. This includes snoozes.
Sleep • ZERO TO THREE

Consider the unique needs of each child when adapting the lesson plan. If you notice that your child is having difficulty sleeping or is frequently oversleeping, you may wish to consult with their doctor.

  • Infants (1 to 2 years old) – 11 to 14 hours per day (including naps)
  • Toddlers/Young Kids (3 to 5 years old) – 10 to 13 hours per day (including naps)
  • Children (6 to 12 years old) – 9 to 12 hours per day
  • Teens (13 to 18 years old) – 8 to 10 hours per day

For the most part, children between the ages of six and eight are best served by following these broad principles. As a general rule, if kids stay up one night and then sleep in the next day, this is entirely normal.

Keep Their Room Dark:

Summer is a difficult time for parents to get their children to go to sleep because the days are longer. What’s the point of going to bed when the sun is shining? It’s like what Anna says: “The sky’s up and I’m up and we have to play!” Although the sun hasn’t set, there are still ways to induce sleep despite the fact that it is still light outside.

In instances like this, blackout curtains are a godsend. Close the curtains before you go to sleep to assist your body produce melatonin and close your eyes. Getting out of bed to play with toys is considerably more difficult when you’re in a dark room.

Be Consistent:

If your children have been getting up early every day in preparation for school, encourage them to continue this behavior once classes begin. Keep the momentum going rather than allowing a month of sleep ins and then trying to get back to a regular schedule. It is up to you whether or not to enforce getting out of bed and dressing or eating breakfast once they are up. The most crucial component of having a summer sleep schedule is making sure you get up and go to bed at the same time each day.

If the summer bug has already hit your family and everyone is snoozing till noon, it will be much more difficult to get the kids up on time or get them to bed on time.

We also recommend that you continue your nightly rituals. If you enjoy reading a book before going to sleep, keep up the good work. It is important to have a regular sleep routine.

Continue Napping:

Keeping a small child on a regular sleep schedule necessitates this step. No matter how much you’d like your youngsters to enjoy their summer vacation, they must nap on time.

They’ll be in a much better mood and have more fun on vacation if they get their customary nap in, according to us. Tantrums are certain without it, and no one will enjoy their summer vacation.

Encourage Physical Activity:

Parents of toddlers and small children may find this task uncomplicated; however, parents of teenagers may find this task more challenging. Swimming, playing sports, and other forms of physical activity are excellent ways to burn off some of the energy you’ve accumulated throughout the day.

As a result, it’s a lot less difficult to get to sleep at night. The same is true for grownups, if you’re at home watching TV or playing video games, it’ll be much more difficult to go asleep at night. Because it’s summer, it’s a great time to promote physical activity! Time to get out there and have some fun in the fresh air!

Stay Sun Smart:

Sunburns are excruciatingly painful and can even set off symptoms such as high fevers, hot flashes, and cold sweats in the victim. Sleep deprivation is virtually impossible with this concoction in play.

Vitamin D is essential for everyone, regardless of age or gender. But keep in mind that the sun’s rays can swiftly burn your skin. As a result, it’s important to be aware of the sun’s rays. Be sure to keep out of the sun whenever possible, wear a hat, and reapply sunscreen frequently.

Avoid Too Much Technology:

While it’s necessary to limit tablet and TV use for kids, it’s critical for teens. Mobile devices, laptops, and video games provide them with an endless amount of amusement. Teens have a reputation for staying up all night and then napping the entire day.

If your teen is bored to tears, it will be far more difficult for them to stay awake through the night without the internet’s constant stimulation. Your children will be able to set their own boundaries with technology if you set an end time for their devices (while you’re at it, make this rule for yourself as well).

Don’t Wait For School To Start:

Be reminded of the impending return to the classroom if you find it difficult to keep your appointments. While we’d all want to have the same routine all summer long, it’s perfectly OK to allow yourself a later start time during the warmer months.

However, you should not wait until the start of the school year to alter your sleep schedule. In order to avoid unpleasant disputes and cranky youngsters before school starts, gradually returning to school hours is in everyone’s best interest. Once classes resume, life will be a lot less stressful for everyone.

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