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12 Clever Back to School Sleep Tips

Get the kids back into the school routine, sleeping properly again after a summer of lie-ins, with these Bed Guru tips…

10th August, 2016
by Carl Walsh

Get the kids back into the school routine, sleeping properly again after a summer of
cheeky lie-ins…

Two weeks before school starts, you need to start getting the kids’ bedtimes back on track so that those early mornings won’t be such a shock come September. After all, a good night’s sleep will give them a head start at school, helping them to focus harder and pay attention in class, setting them up for higher grades in the long run.

From changing dinner time to showing them how it’s done, here’s how you get the kids to start rehearsing their school sleep routine before the end of their summer holidays.

A Little Earlier to Bed Each Night

Ease them back into their routine by sending them to bed 15 minutes earlier each night. This subtle change will not only bring their bedtime back where it should be for school, but it’ll happen subtly without causing arguments. The National Sleep Foundation recommends primary school kids get 9 to 11 hours a night, while your teens sleep for 8 to 10 hours.

Tuck into Your Family Meals Earlier

The later the kids eat dinner, the harder they’ll find it to drift off with a full stomach, so try eating a nutritious meal together at least four hours before their bed time. Planning meals packed with veggies and protein, with fewer carbs and fat, will help them sleep better for school.

Careful with Those Sugary Drinks

If they’re going to drink their fizzy pop, make sure they do it at lunch time or at least six hours before bed, as they’re chock full of caffeine and sugar which will keep them awake and interrupt their sleep – which is no good when they’re back at school.

More Bedtime Stories, Less Tech

This goes for kids big and small as 54 per cent of children who have a small screen near their bed lose 20 minutes of sleep a night on average – as the blue light the gadgets emit delays the sleep inducing hormone melatonin in their bodies.

So 60 to 90 minutes before lights out, let them take a bath instead of watching TV, or switch videogames for bed-time stories, whether you read it to them or not. Reading is a good way for them to relax into sleep, but top-tip: set a time for reading or decide the number of books or chapters before you start, so they don’t miss their bedtime.

Practise What You Preach

Set a good example to your brood by sticking to the rules yourself, they’ll follow your lead. If you’ve asked them to charge their phones downstairs so that it doesn’t distract them from sleep, put yours with them.

Bribe them with a New Bed

Get them excited for bedtime with new bed. From wacky designs that get your stubborn little ones upstairs, to pine beds with engravings on their chunky headboards and bunk beds above desks or storage - which create spaces for your older kids to use night and day.

Once They’re Up, They’re Up

As tempting as it is to let them have ‘just five more minutes’ this summer holiday, stay strong and wake them up when they’re supposed to be – even on weekends during the school term, so the hard work you’ve done together to establish a good routine doesn’t go to waste. That also means keeping them off their beds when they’re awake during the day, to help their brains associate beds with sleep.

Get them Active Today & After School

Have fun this summer, let the kids run wild and let off some steam - exercise helps them to fall asleep faster and therefore stay asleep for longer. You might want to get them into a sport that they can play at after school clubs, so they’re active after days sat behind their desks in school.

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