Getting ready for September: back to school bedtime routine
by Azar Akbari
It is hard to believe that summer is almost over. Ending summer means the beginning of a new school year for many families.
During the summer, kids usually adapt to a less strict schedule. They are staying up late and waking up much later in the morning. Changing the sleep pattern at the start of a new school year is a big challenge for them, as well as for their parents.
Sleep is food for brain. Teenagers need at least 9 hours of sleep each night to function better. Common signs of not having enough sleep are: mood swing, trouble concentrating, nervousness, and aggressive behavior.
Lack of sleep not only affects physical development, emotion regulation, and immune system in teens, it also affects their ability to function at school. Lack of sleep often limits the ability to learn and to concentrate, causing teens to be inattentive and unable to perform well academically.
Returning to school in the fall affects children’s sleep patterns and adjustments need to be made to ease the transition.
The first thing is to start with a bedtime routine. It would be the best to use the last two weeks of summer to gradually change the pattern rather than having a sudden change.
The second thing teens can do is to avoid watching television, playing video games, and using computers at least one hour before bedtime.
Also they should remember not to have anything with caffeine (including soda and chocolate) a few hours before bedtime.
Bottom line: It is important for teens to make sleep a priority.
Azar Akbari is Student Recruitment Assistant Manager at Pattison High School.