The Sleep Numbers Parents Should Know
As back-to-school approaches, families are once again trading summer bedtimes for earlier mornings. As parents try to ease their kids back into the schooltime routines, it’s important to remember that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 10–13 hours for preschoolers ages 3–5, 9–12 hours for children ages 6–12, and 8–10 hours for teenagers ages 13–18.
Those numbers can be surprisingly difficult for families to hit, particularly once homework, sports, activities and early school start times enter the picture. The CDC found that 72.7% of U.S. high school students were getting less than eight hours of sleep on school nights, while 57.8% of middle school students in the states surveyed were getting less than the recommended amount.
The problem isn’t simply feeling tired the next morning. According to the Douglas Research Centre, in Montreal, “One in four Canadians is sleep-deprived,” while insufficient sleep among children and teens can affect attention, emotions, memory, academic performance and decision-making.
What Happens When Kids Don’t Get Enough Sleep?
A tired child doesn’t always look sleepy. Sleep deprivation can show up as irritability, hyperactivity, impulsiveness, difficulty concentrating or problems managing emotions—behaviors that can sometimes be mistaken for laziness or defiance.
For teenagers, the consequences can be particularly significant during the school year. The CDC links insufficient sleep with increased risks of poor mental health, attention and behavior problems, injuries and poorer academic performance.
Sleep also plays an important role in learning. When children don’t get enough of it, their ability to concentrate, remember information and regulate their behavior can suffer, potentially making an already demanding school day even harder.
How Parents Can Get Back on Schedule
The good news is that families don’t have to overhaul their routines overnight. The National Sleep Foundation recommends shifting bedtime and wake-up time by 10–15 minutes each day for about a week, gradually moving children toward their school-year schedule.
A consistent bedtime routine can also make the transition easier. As the AAP notes, “all children thrive on a regular bedtime routine,” while keeping wake-up times, meals and activities relatively consistent can help establish a predictable rhythm.
Parents should also create a bedroom environment that supports sleep by limiting evening screen use, keeping devices out of bedrooms when possible and establishing a relaxing wind-down period. Research based on the National Survey of Children’s Health likewise underscores that insufficient sleep is common among U.S. children and adolescents, making sleep a family health issue rather than simply a matter of getting kids to bed earlier.
Most importantly, parents should treat sleep as a priority rather than an afterthought. A little preparation before the first school bell rings can help children arrive at school more rested, focused and ready to learn.
