Kids will be headed back to the classroom in less than a month.
As families prepare for another school year, school supply lists, open houses and new schedules often top the to-do list.
Health professionals are encouraging parents to add another back-to-school essential to that list—sleep.
“Sleep plays a big role on kids' brain in terms of development, behavior, learning, immunity, and growth,” said Dr. Kevin Morgan, a pediatrician at Aspirus Health.
Many children are not getting enough rest.
Nationally, about 35 percent of children ages 4 months to 14 years do not get enough sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“What we know about sleep is the more routine we can have, the better it's going to be in the long term,” said Morgan.
Morgan recommends keeping electronics like phones, TV, and gaming devices out of the bedroom and turning off screens at least an hour before bedtime.
He also recommends starting to shift the sleep sooner than later for the school year.
“Don't wait until the night before school to start saying like, ‘Okay, now we have to go to bed now at seven,' because that almost always fails," said Morgan. "You got to have that routine established at least for a couple weeks before it really starts to build as a as a routine and a habit.”
Gradually moving bedtime 10 to 15 minutes earlier each day can help children adapt more comfortably and reduce frustration.
