How to Get Enough Rest for Success

Can you believe that in just weeks we will be sending our kids back to school? The summer has absolutely flown by. As parents, we are preparing for the return by making sure uniforms still fit, school supplies are purchased, and calendars are updated with all the upcoming school events. We are starting to think through all the daily routines that have been discarded during the summer break.  One of the most difficult, but arguably most important transition for our scholars is making sure they are getting to bed on time in order to get the amount of sleep they require. To instill good sleeping habits for a successful school year at Great Hearts, the time to begin adjusting bedtimes is now.

Studies from the CDC show how important sleep is for the human body.  Sleep allows our brains to grow and recover, and our immune system is boosted through proper sleep.  Many of our children have had the luxury over the summer to sleep into the later hours of the morning and thus have been able to go to bed later than usual.  The struggle is real for parents who now must curve that habit in order to get their children up, fully dressed, fed, and out the door in time to be their best selves for the rigorous school day.

This transition can prove to be mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting.  Ali Dausend, a 2^nd grade teacher and Dean of Academics at Archway Glendale explains, “In the younger grades we find a lot of negative behaviors and tantrums are often revolved around being overly tired. Often, students behave great in class, only to come home crumbling into a sobbing mess before dinner is served.”

Dausend suggests that if a child is fighting going to bed, it may be too late, and they may be fighting it because they are already over-tired.  She recommends trying 30-60 minutes earlier the next night until you find the right time with the least resistance.  As adults, we can recognize when we feel tired, but our children don’t always. They often exhibit exhaustion with hyperactivity or volatile emotions.

But we are not only talking about students in the lower grades. The proper amounts of sleep are just as important for our upper school students. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that youths aged 13-18 need 8 to 10 hours of sleep per 24 hour period. However, a CDC study amongst middle school and high school students shows that 57.8% of middle school students and 72.7% of high school students are not getting enough sleep on school nights.

Battling an angsty teenager can be even more of a challenge than your younger children. The CDC has compiled the following recommendations for parents:

• Model and encourage habits that help promote good sleep. Setting a regular bedtime and rise time, including on weekends, is recommended for everyone—children, adolescents, and adults alike. Adolescents with parent-set bedtimes usually get more sleep than those whose parents do not set bedtimes.
• Dim lighting. Adolescents who are exposed to more light (such as room lighting or from electronics) in the evening are less likely to get enough sleep.
• Implement a media curfew. Technology use (computers, video gaming, or mobile phones) may also contribute to late bedtimes. Parents should consider banning technology use after a certain time or removing these technologies from the bedroom.

Bedtime routines that only require minor tweaking for the school year may only require a few days of transition before the first day of school.  However, if your child’s sleep schedule has drastically changed during the summer break, we highly recommend you begin making changes now.  We have supplied a simple sleep chart by age that we hope you will find helpful. Transitioning back to school is exhausting, especially for a child who is excited and a little nervous. Let’s all work together to make sure our scholars are the best versions of themselves every day by getting the rest they need.

Do you have a story or know of a story that you would like to see featured at Great Hearts?  Please contact jason.moore@greathearts.org.