Back to School Sleep: Why Parents & Caregivers Should Reset Routines Before the First Bell Rings
- The White Hatter
- Aug 16
- 4 min read
Imagine sending your child off to school feeling like they’ve just stepped off a red-eye flight, groggy, irritable, and struggling to focus. That’s what happens when summer sleep habits collide with the first week of school. The best way to prevent this “school-year jet lag” is to start resetting routines now.
Summer has a way of loosening routines. Bedtimes drift later, mornings start later, and screens glow long into the night. While that flexibility feels harmless in July and August, it can become a major hurdle when school resumes. For many youth and teens, the abrupt return to early mornings and structured days feels like jet lag. The good news? Parents and caregivers can ease this transition by helping children get back on a healthy sleep schedule now, before the first bell rings.
Why is sleep Important for youth and teens:
It’s Energy for the brain and aids in learning, increases alertness, and helps memory
It’s a biological necessity and allows us to perform effectively and safely
It’s a developmental necessity for brain growth and maturation
It’s vital to our emotional, psychological, physical, and social wellbeing
Sleep is not just rest, it’s the fuel for growing brains and bodies, something Shakespeare eluded to in the 14th century when he stated:
“Oh gentle sleep! Natures soft nurse”
Today, research consistently shows that children and adolescents who get adequate sleep perform better academically, have stronger emotional regulation, and enjoy better overall health. (1)(2)(3)
How much sleep do children and teens really need? The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends:
Ages 6–12: 9 to 12 hours of quality sleep each night
Ages 13–18: 8 to 10 hours of quality sleep each night
Children’s sleep patterns are governed by circadian rhythms, an internal body clock influenced by light exposure and routine. When kids stay up late during the summer, their melatonin production, the hormone that helps signal sleep, shifts later into the night. Suddenly asking them to go to bed at 9:00 p.m. the night before school can feel like asking them to fall asleep in the middle of the afternoon.
Mary Carskadon, a leading researcher on adolescent sleep, calls this a “perfect storm” of biology and lifestyle, natural shifts in teen circadian rhythms combined with late-night habits create sleep cycles that are completely out of sync with school start times. (4) The result is what many parents and caregivers see in September, groggy mornings, cranky attitudes, and struggles to focus.
Routines take time to reset. Sleep specialists recommend making gradual adjustments, shifting bedtime and wake up times by 15–30 minutes every few nights until they align with school schedules. This incremental approach is far more effective than making drastic changes the night before classes begin.
Think of it as adjusting to a new time zone. Just as you would not expect a child to fly overseas and instantly adapt, you should not expect them to flip their sleep cycle overnight. Giving kids a week or two to recalibrate helps their bodies adapt naturally, making the return to school smoother for everyone.
Practical Steps for Parents and Caregivers To Rest Sleep Patterns
Parents often ask, “But how do we actually do this?” Here are five strategies grounded in research that can make the process easier:
Shift Bedtimes Gradually
Move bedtime earlier by 15–30 minutes every couple of nights. Pair this with an earlier wake-up to keep the schedule consistent.
Wake Up at the Same Time Every Day
Even on weekends, consistent wake-up times strengthen circadian rhythms and prevent “social jet lag.”
Make Sure Your Youth or Teen Is Off All Technology (cellphones, computers, gaming consoles) 30 Minutes to 1 Hour Before Scheduled Bedtime.
This prepares the brain to “decompress” so that when your child does put their head to pillow, they will likely fall a sleep quicker.
Create a Calming Pre-Sleep Routine
Reading, warm showers, or listening to soft music can cue the body that it’s time to wind down.
Encourage Daytime Activity
Physical activity during the day helps kids fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper sleep at night.
When implementing the above noted process, if your child says, “I’m not tired yet.” , that’s their circadian rhythm talking. Routine and consistency, not waiting until they “feel tired”, resets the body clock.
Helping your child return to a healthy sleep schedule before school starts, is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to set them up for learning success. It improves focus, stabilizes mood, and supports overall health.
Our call to action for all parents and caregivers, about 2 weeks out from the start of the new school year, move bedtime just 15 minutes earlier and stick to it. Repeat this small step every few nights. By the time the first day of school arrives, your child won’t just be ready to wake up on time, they will be ready to learn, focus, and thrive.
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