Get kids on a back-to-school sleep schedule

While kids enjoy staying up – and sleeping in – late during summer break, it can be difficult to return to a normal sleep schedule when school is back in session. A pediatric sleep expert at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital explains why students need plenty of sleep and the importance of good sleep habits.

“In general, kids who have insufficient amounts of sleep are likely to have decreased alertness and productivity,” said Dr. Sonal Malhotra, assistant professor of pediatrics – pulmonary and sleep medicine at Baylor and Texas Children’s. “We know that lack of sleep impacts academic performance and can lead to behavioral problems in children and adolescents. They can present with daytime inattentiveness and hyperactivity, often leading to a misdiagnosis of ADHD. Once we fix poor sleep habits we see those issues resolve.”

Malhotra said it is first important to know the recommended hours children of all ages should sleep per night:

  • Ages 3-5: 10-13 hours.
  • Ages 6-12: 9-12 hours.
  • Ages 13-18: 8-10 hours.

While going to bed and waking up earlier is challenging, Malhotra offers a few recommendations to get students back on the right sleep schedule:

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