The transition from the holidays to the new school year can be tough on the whole family. Children are likely to have fallen out of their usual routine. In this blog post, we highlight our best Back to School sleep tips to ensure that your children are ready and raring to go on the first day of school.
Prepare ahead of time
Don’t leave shopping for school supplies and uniform until the last minute! Getting prepared ahead of time will reduce your stress and will also let your children know it’s time to start getting ready for the return to school.
Use a calendar during the holidays
Using a calendar is a great way to give your kids a visual that they can use as a countdown to see when school starts again. You can get your kids involved with the calendar by asking them to mark down events and activities that you’ll be taking part in during the holidays, as well as the back-to-school date.
Get back into your own routine
Your kids will follow your example when it comes to getting back into their school routine, so start your own routine ahead of time. This might mean waking up earlier, preparing and eating meals at a ‘normal’ time, and getting dressed and ready for the day every morning.
Introduce your child’s Back to School sleep schedule
If your children have strayed from what would be their regular bedtime during term-time, start re-introducing this as the return to school creeps up. You might like to advance their bedtime by 10-15 minutes every night until they reach their regular bedtime, and you might also like to start waking them up a little earlier – with love and compassion of course!
See below for some tips for maintaining a good sleep schedule.
Tips for maintaining a good Back to School sleep schedule
· Create a bedtime routine
Creating a bedtime routine is a wonderful way to help children prepare mentally and physically for bed. Turn off all electronics at least an hour before bedtime, dim the lights, and spend some time relaxing. During this time, your children might like to read, colour, or listen to an audiobook/music. The bedtime routine could involve a relaxing bath or shower, a bedtime story, relaxing music and massage.
· Eat well ahead of bedtime
Eat dinner ahead of bedtime so that your children have time to digest their food and spend time relaxing before bed. This will help to prevent any digestive discomfort that they might be experiencing at nighttime.
Ensure a good night’s sleep
A quality mattress can be the difference between a good night and a bad night of sleep. Though it’s common to use hand-me-down mattresses, ensure that your child has a high-quality mattress that gives them the support they need. As well as keeping the spine and bones aligned, which is very important for a growing child, a good quality mattress will reduce rolling and fidgeting, allowing your child to sleep more soundly. Browse Sealy’s range of mattresses to find the best bed to support your child’s growing body.
Good quality sleep will boost your child’s memory and concentration, improve their mood, enhance emotional control, prevent or alleviate mood swings, and improve their overall well-being. Also, a good new bed will provide support to your child’s growing body and help them relax during the night. Finally, studies show that good sleep prevents challenging behaviors and helps your child get Back to School refreshed and well-prepared, which is a recipe for good grades.