The middle of March means one thing, it is time to turn the clock again and it is time to readjust our bodies again. Most people have heard of Spring forward, but how does that affect our sleep, especially in our children? We need our youth are getting enough sleep, as well as the adults. Read on to learn more about how sleep can affect the body, and tips for how we can promote better sleep habits.
Healthy Tip Tuesday is brought to you in partnership with Trinity Health Systems.
In a study down by the Center for Disease Control, six out of ten middle schoolers did not get enough sleep on school nights. While seven out of ten youth did not get enough hours of sleep on school nights.
What type of impact does lack of sleep have on youth?
- Poor concentration
- Behavioral concerns
- Difficulty with school performance
How to improve overall bedtime habits?
- Maintain a bedtime routine
- A warm bath, brushing teeth, reading a book
- Turn out the lights at bedtime
- Make sure the children are active during the day
- Model positive sleeping behaviors
- Avoid large meals and caffeine before bedtime
- No technology in the bedroom
- Keep the bedroom quiet and a comfortable temperature
If a child struggles with the time change, consider putting them to bed 15 minutes earlier and waking them up 15 minutes earlier in the morning. Keep moving the bedtime and wake-up time by 15 minutes every three days until the new daylight-saving time is reached.
How much sleep is enough?
- Preschoolers (3-5 years old) 10-13 hours of sleep
- School-aged youth (6-12 years old) 9-12 hours of sleep
- Adolescents (13-18 years old) 8-10 hours of sleep
