Children
must get plenty of sleep to perform well in school. After a
summer of staying up late and then sleeping in, many kids are
out of their school year bedtime routines.
Mayo
Clinic Children’s Center pediatric neurologist and sleep
specialist Dr. Suresh Kotagal says most school-age children
must sleep from eight to nine hours every night to be at their
best. "Children should work back into a school year sleep
schedule gradually, starting a week or two before the first
bell rings," he says.
Kotagal
offers these tips to help children get the sleep they need for
a productive school year.
— Wake
up children 30 minutes earlier every few days as school
approaches.
— Turn
off electronics 30 minutes to an hour before bed.
—
Temporarily avoid or shorten naps to help children be sleepy
at night.
— Make
sure the bed is used for sleep only.
———
