Experts say a year-round sleep routine is the best way to keep sleep on track for the school year.
SAN ANTONIO — For school kids, summer break usually means later bed times and sleeping in. But success in school is tied to a successful night of quality sleep.
A good night of sleep is imperative to be able to retain memory and all of the information kids learn in school. Having a healthy sleep routine year-round is the best way to make sure kids get the ZZZ’s they need.
“We shouldn’t deviate from our usual bedtime. By about half an hour is fine but anything more drastic than that should really be an exception rather than the rule,” said Dr. B. Louise Giles, pediatric pulmonologist with CHRISTUS Health.
The Sleep Foundation says to get your child back into that schooltime sleep routine, start shifting bed times and wake times by 15 to 30 minutes a day, at least one week before school begins.
“When you’re not very well rested, you can’t concentrate. It’s difficult to learn new concepts. you might have inattention during your classwork or you might have inattention during the during the school day,” said Giles.
According to data from the CDC National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, between 2009 and 2021, the percentage of high school students who did not get enough sleep rose from 69% to 77%.
Older students were found to sleep less, with 70% of 9th graders compared to 83.5% of 12th graders getting enough sleep.
The CDC says that two out of three high school students sleep less than eight hours on an average school night.
How much sleep do school kids need? The Mayo Clinic says those between 3 and 5-years-old need 10 to 13 hours. Those between 6 and 12 years, nine to 12 hours and teenagers need eight to 10 hours of sleep.
“The reason is that there’s blue light in our electronics and they can affect our ability to fall asleep and then maintain sleep,” said Giles.