Back to School Sleep Hygiene: Healthy Habits to Enhance Sleep
As we inch closer to the start of school, your child’s sleep schedule might need to be refined and reshaped. Sleep hygiene, habits, and practices conducive to sleeping regularly are important to obtain and maintain healthy sleep.
In this week’s “Back to School” sleep blog, we explore what building healthy sleep habits in your family can look like in achieving optimal sleep performance.
What is sleep hygiene?
Good sleep hygiene means setting yourself up for consistent, uninterrupted sleep. While sleep hygiene might look different from one person to another, it can be tailored to fit your child’s individual needs. To optimize sleep in your child’s life, test out different methods and practices to find out what helps them sleep the best.
The benefits of healthy sleep can positively influence your child’s physical and mental health. Instilling sleep hygiene and healthy sleep habits in your child’s routine can contribute to increased productivity and performance both in and out of the classroom.
Proactive Tips to Optimize Your Child’s Sleep
Below are some tips and tricks you can implement to get your child to sleep healthily and soundly before school starts.
Set a Sleep Schedule
Forming healthy habits starts with consistency, and sleep is no different. Maintaining a steady sleep schedule with regular sleep and wake times will keep your child’s body clock in a consistent pattern and enhance their sleep.
Stay Consistent with a Nightly Routine
Preparing your child for a good night’s sleep involves establishing a nightly routine. Encourage your child to wind down thirty minutes before bedtime, put all electronics away, and dim the lights to increase levels of relaxation.
Cultivate Healthy Daily Habits
Instituting healthy habits throughout your family’s day can revolutionize sleep health. For example, reducing caffeine consumption and staying active are just a few habits you can practice with your children.
Optimize Your Child’s Bedroom
The environment your child sleeps in plays a vital role in getting a healthy amount of sleep. Setting a comfortable room temperature, blacking out light with heavy curtains, and choosing the best mattress and pillow for maximum comfort will help to create a cozy sleep environment for your child.
Sleep Well Now Before It’s Too Late!
Healthy sleep is a process that might not happen overnight. Parents who wait until the night before their child’s first day of school often regret not encouraging healthy sleep habits earlier. Putting in the time to implement these strategies before school starts will greatly benefit your child’s sleep and performance in school.
You don’t have to keep putting up with sleepless nights. At FusionSleep®, we have dedicated our entire medical practice to helping patients as young as two years old get their lives back through healthy sleep. We offer various sleep solutions, in-lab and at-home sleep testing options, and virtual appointments on our established telemedicine platform. Contact us today on our website or by calling 678.990.3962.