Sleeping times after the summer holidays
Summer holidays tend to make children's bedtimes later and push back their wake-up times. This can lead to entertaining evenings for the family, and parents and caregivers can enjoy a refreshing break in the mornings. However, this becomes problematic when school starts again. In Germany, school usually begins around 8:00 AM, some even at 7:30 AM, so sleeping in until 9 or 10 AM during the school term is not an option. Returning to the school rhythm can already be difficult enough without struggles with going to bed and getting up. In this blog, we provide you with some valuable tips on how to prepare your children to get enough sleep and arrive at school on time when the new school year begins in September.
Holiday activities and sleep
There are numerous factors that can affect sleep during the holidays. It is important to be aware of how these factors may have influenced your children's sleep during the summer break.
Screen time
During the holidays, the routine of children often deviates significantly from that of the school semester, which can affect their sleep.
Since there is no obligation to get up early and go to school, children may spend more time in front of screens and devices. This is especially true when parents or caregivers work from home during the holidays. Furthermore, there is likely little need for homework or study material.
"If this screen time occurs late in the evening, the increased light exposure 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 are exposed to bright light from tablet and laptop screens, it tricks our brain into thinking it is still daytime, resulting in less melatonin being produced."
Lack of physical activity
When children are less physically active during school holidays, it 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 sports events. Additionally, the daily walk to school is eliminated.
In general, we all sleep better when we are physically active, both in terms of sleep duration and sleep quality.
When children spend time outdoors during the day and play actively, they receive a lot of sunlight. This helps to strengthen their circadian rhythm and makes them more alert during the day and sleepier at night. If this does not happen, the opposite is true.
Holiday sleeping times
The times when children wake up and go to sleep can also change during school holidays. Often, children go to bed later and wake up later, as they do not have to get up in time for school.
"Although this in itself is not a problem, it can become problematic when school starts again just before the holidays, as the children may have a very different sleep rhythm than at the beginning of the school year. It's as if the children are 'jetlagged' - they only feel tired later and are then forced to get up earlier than they naturally would have to in order to get to school on time."
Tips for Bedtimes and Starting School
Gradually adjust sleeping times
"If possible, it is a good idea to gradually adjust your children's bedtimes and wake-up times to the normal rhythm for the school semester before school starts again. This way, the first day of school won't be a shock when your children have to get up much earlier than during the holidays."
You can make this adjustment gradually by moving bedtime and wake-up times forward by about 15-20 minutes per day in the days leading up to the start of school. If you set bedtime earlier, make sure to also move wake-up times forward by the same amount, which will likely require setting an alarm so that they don't oversleep.
Promote morning light
Exposure to natural daylight can help influence the circadian rhythm. If your children are used to waking up late and going to bed late, you can help them shift their rhythm earlier by going outside in the morning, whether to the park or for 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 bedtime rituals are neglected. Although late evenings in good company and relaxed summer nights can be fun, most people sleep better when they have a fixed routine before going to bed."
A bedtime routine ensures that children know it is soon time to go to sleep. Doing the same things in the same order before bedtime can help prepare the brain and body for sleep. For children, this routine may include turning off screens an hour before bedtime, engaging in a relaxing activity such as reading a book or solving a puzzle afterwards, taking a bath or shower, putting on pajamas, drinking a glass of milk, brushing teeth, and going to bed. Return to the combination that is normal for your child and help them prepare for sleep and calm their mind before bedtime.
"It is important to reintroduce this routine a few days before school starts, as it helps the children get used to it again."
Limit screen time
If you are the parent of a younger child or a teenager, you may have disabled parental controls on tablets and phones during the summer holidays to give them more screen time. However, with the start of school, 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 to automatically turn off the device in the evening.
Too much screen time can affect sleep in various ways by keeping the brain too active and exposing it to too much bright light before bedtime. You should also ensure that the night mode is activated and turns on every day around 6 or 7 PM on your devices to minimize exposure to bright blue light from screens.
Take time for conversations about worries
Just before school starts again, it is normal for your child to have thoughts about the new school year. Instead of letting these thoughts swirl around in their head at night and disturb their sleep, it is a good idea to set aside some time earlier in the day to talk about the worries. It is especially helpful to do this in a different place than the bedroom, so that the bedroom does not become the place where they get used to worrying. You could discuss any concerns about returning to school at dinner, on the sofa while watching TV shows, or even better, while taking a long walk in nature together.
Children and Sleep Problems
"It is completely normal for children to take some time to adjust to a new bedtime routine for school. By introducing regular routines and gradually adjusting bedtime, you can ensure that your child gets enough sleep to handle the school day... even if it takes a while for normal routines to be restored."
"However, if sleep problems persist, you may want to consider what is causing them and consider additional support. In this case, learn more about our services for children. I would be happy to help you."
With these tips, you can ensure that your children are well-rested and ready to get back into the school routine in time for the start of school. By paying attention to a healthy bedtime routine and preparing for the transition, the shift into the school rhythm will 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 giving it special attention during the school year.
