Bedtime after the summer holidays
Summer vacation tends to push children's bedtimes later and wake-up times later. This can lead to fun evenings for the family, and parents and carers can enjoy a soothing break in the morning. But this will be problematic when school starts again. In Germany, school usually starts around 8:00 a.m., some even at 7:30 a.m., so sleeping in until 9 or 10 a.m. is not an option during the school semester. Getting back into the routine of school can be hard enough without difficulty getting to bed and getting up. In this blog, we'll give you some valuable tips on how to prepare your children to get enough sleep and get to school on time when the new school year starts in September.
Holiday activities and sleep
There are numerous factors that can affect sleep during the holidays. It's important to be aware of how these factors may have affected your children's sleep during summer break.
Screen time
During the holidays, children's routines often differ greatly from those of the school semester, which can affect their sleep.
Since there is no obligation to wake up early and go to school, children may spend more time in front of screens and devices. This is particularly the case if parents or carers work from home during the holidays. Additionally, there is probably little need for homework or study material.
When this screen time occurs late in the evening, the increased exposure to light can make it difficult to fall asleep. Our brains need darkness in the evening to produce melatonin (the sleep hormone) and help us fall asleep. When we're exposed to bright light from tablet and laptop screens, it tricks our brain into thinking it's still daytime, resulting in less melatonin production.
Lack of physical activity
If children are less physically active during school holidays, this can also affect their sleep. It is common for children to be less active during the holidays as there are likely fewer extracurricular activities and sporting events. In addition, there is no need to walk to school every day.
In general sleep We all do better when we are more physically active, both in terms of sleep duration and sleep quality.
When children spend time outdoors during the day and play actively, they receive plenty of sunlight. This helps strengthen their circadian rhythm, making them more alert during the day and sleepier at night. If this does not happen, the opposite applies.
Holiday bedtimes
The times children wake up and sleep can also change during school holidays. Children often go to bed later and get up later because they don't have to get up on time for school.
Although this is not a problem in itself, it can become problematic when school starts again just before the holidays, as children may have very different sleep patterns than when school started. It's as if the children are "jetlagged" - they don't feel tired until later and are then forced to get up earlier than they naturally have to in order to get to school on time.
Tips for bedtime and starting school
Adjust bedtimes gradually
If possible, it's a good idea to gradually adjust your children's bedtimes and wake-up times to their normal rhythm for the school semester before school starts again. This way, back-to-school day won't be a shock when your children have to get up much earlier than during the holidays.
You can make this adjustment gentle by moving bedtimes and wake-up times forward by about 15-20 minutes per day in the days before school starts. If you move their bedtimes earlier, make sure you also move their wake-up times up by the same amount, which will likely require setting an alarm so they don't oversleep.
Promote morning light
Exposure to natural daylight can help influence circadian rhythms. If your children are used to waking up late and going to bed late, you can help them shift their rhythm early by going outside in the morning, whether to the park or to have breakfast in the garden. The bright morning light helps them wake up earlier and fall asleep earlier.
Restore regular routines
During the summer holidays, it can happen that the usual rituals before going to bed are neglected. Although late evenings with friends and relaxed summer evenings can be fun, sleep Most people do better when they have a set routine before bed.
A bedtime routine ensures that children know it is almost time for bed. Doing the same thing in the same order before bed can help prepare the brain and body for sleep. For children, this routine may include turning off screens an hour before bedtime, doing a more relaxing activity like reading a book or doing a puzzle afterward, taking a bath or shower, changing into pajamas, drinking a glass of milk, brushing your teeth and bedtime. Return to the combination that is normal for your child and help him prepare for sleep and calm the mind before bed.
It is important to reintroduce this routine a few days before school starts as this will help children get used to it again.
Limit screen time
If you're a parent of a younger child or teenager, you may have turned off parental controls on tablets and phones over the summer holidays to allow them more screen time. However, with school starting, it might be a good idea to review these controls and limit screen time to the number of hours allowed on the device, as well as automatically turning off the device in the evening.
Too much screen time can affect sleep in several ways, by keeping the brain too active and being exposed to too much bright light before bed. They should also ensure that Night Mode is enabled and turns on on their devices around 6 or 7 p.m. every day to minimize exposure to bright blue light from screens.
Make time to talk about concerns
Just before school starts again, it's normal for your child to start thinking about the new school year. Instead of letting these thoughts run around in your head at night and disrupt your sleep, it's a good idea to set aside some time to talk about your worries earlier in the day. It's especially helpful to do this somewhere other than the bedroom so that the bedroom doesn't become a place where they get used to worrying. You could discuss any concerns about returning to school over dinner, on the sofa between watching TV shows, or better yet, while taking a long walk in nature together.
Children and sleep problems
It's completely normal for children to take some time to adjust to a new bedtime routine for school. By establishing regular routines and gradually adjusting bedtimes, you can ensure your child gets enough sleep to get through the school day... even if it takes a while to get back to normal routines.
However, if sleep problems persist, you may want to think about what is causing them and consider additional support. In this case, you can find out more about our services for children. I would be happy to help you.
With these tips you can ensure that your children are rested and ready to get back into school life in time for the start of school. Maintaining a healthy bedtime routine and preparing for the transition will make the transition into school routines go more smoothly for the whole family. Remember that sleep plays an important role in your children's health and well-being, and it is worth paying special attention to during the school year.
