Getting in the swing of back-to-school sleep

Summer is a time for sleeping in – even as late as 1 or 2 p.m. for many teenagers. The good news is that it's normal for older children and teens to fall asleep and wake up later. Children’s circadian rhythm, or “internal clock,” shifts during puberty, and they naturally start becoming night owls.

When it’s time to return to school in the fall, many kids and teens struggle to break their unrestricted summer sleep habits and start waking up early for class.

We asked Michael Howell, MD, a sleep medicine physician with M Health Fairview and professor at University of Minnesota Medical School, how to help kids start the school year off on the right foot by readjusting their sleep habits before classes start.

Know that it’s normal – and don’t try to force an early bedtime.

Older children and teens naturally fall asleep and wake up later. It’s just one of many changes that happen during puberty.

“The most important thing to know is that this isn’t a young person who is lazy,” said Howell. “They’re not sleeping in because they’re lazy, or because they want to avoid their parents. Their rhythm is genuinely later than younger children or older adults.”

It can be stressful for kids and teens who are used to going to sleep at midnight to suddenly try and fall asleep at 9 p.m. If they’re not tired, Howell says, don’t force it.

“If you’re wide awake, you’re not supposed to just go to bed and try to sleep,” he said. “Don’t force them to go to bed, but also don’t make it worse by allowing them to stay up in front of screens. After sunset, I recommend limiting screen time and dimming the lights to help cue tell the body that it’s time for sleep.”

Trouble sleeping? You’re not alone. Learn more about our sleep care for children and adults.

Focus on waking up earlier with natural light.

Instead of focusing on an earlier bedtime, focus on an earlier wake up. The best way to help your teenager adjust their circadian rhythm is through exposing them to plenty of bright light in the morning, Howell says.

His advice? Figure out what time your child is naturally waking up now, then calculate how much earlier they’ll need to wake up when school starts. For example, if they’re waking up at 10 a.m. and need to get up at 6 a.m., they’ll need to adjust by about four hours. In that case, Howell recommends having them slowly move their wake-up time earlier about a week before classes start.

“Start by waking them up at 9:30 a.m., instead of 10 a.m. Then walk it back by about a half hour every day,” said Howell. “If it’s sunny out, make sure they’re getting bright light in their face as soon as they wake up.”

On cloudy days, Howell recommends turning on a 10,000-lux light box in your child’s bedroom as soon as they wake up. Exposure to bright, natural light helps tell their body it’s time to get up. If your child needs to adjust their sleep schedule by more than a few hours, it’s important to start even sooner so they can go through this gradual adjustment before heading back to school.

"It's important to adjust slowly to a new sleep routine. Going cold turkey is a problem because that young person's physiology does not want them to wake up,” said Howell. “Even if you force them out of bed at 6 a.m. for five days in a row, they haven't truly adjusted. Their body rhythm is all over the map.”

Melatonin can help readjust our “internal clock.”

While bright light in the morning is the best way to adjust your child’s natural sleep rhythm, melatonin can also be used to help them naturally fall asleep earlier. Howell advises a low dose, around one milligram, taken 12 hours before they need to wake up.

“It’s not a sleeping pill. It’s not designed to put them to sleep right away. It just helps their body recognize that it’s time to start winding down and preparing for sleep,” said Howell. “Melatonin can be helpful for people experiencing the circadian rhythm delay that’s especially common in teens.”

Good sleep is essential to helping your child chase their dreams.

Good sleep is a good thing. It can help your child achieve their goals for the school year, whether that’s learning a new language or making a varsity sports team.

If your child isn’t sleeping well, there will be tell-tale signs: struggling to wake up in the morning, falling asleep or showing signs of sleepiness during the day. If these problems persist, contact your child’s primary care provider for guidance or get in touch with our sleep medicine program.

We’re here to help your child feel their best. Learn more about M Health Fairview Pediatrics.