Consistent sleep schedules can ease the back-to-school transition for children and teens

Returning to school can bring earlier mornings, academic demands, and changes in family routines, making consistent sleep schedules particularly important for children and adolescents.

Rashi Kochhar, MD, a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist at Jersey Shore University Medical Center and assistant professor at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, recommends that families begin adjusting children's schedules 1 to 2 weeks before the start of school when possible. Once school is underway, maintaining consistent bedtimes and wake times becomes a priority.

"The most important being having very, very consistent bedtimes and wake-up times," Kochhar said. "So, keeping a consistent sleep schedule both on weekdays and weekends ensures that, you know, we're sort of aligning our internal body clock to those hours."

How much sleep do children need?

Sleep requirements change as children grow, making age an important consideration when pediatricians discuss bedtime schedules with families.

Kochhar said adolescents aged 13 to 18 years should receive 8 to 10 hours of sleep during a 24-hour period. Children aged 6 to 12 years need approximately 9 to 12 hours, while preschool-aged children need 10 to 13 hours.

For younger children, that total may include daytime sleep. Kochhar noted that naps are typically discontinued around ages 4 to 5 years.

Napping can become problematic for older children and adolescents, however, particularly when insufficient nighttime sleep leads to an after-school crash.

"That's not advisable at all," Kochhar said of after-school naps among teenagers. "So, restrict your sleep to the overnight duration."

What signs can indicate insufficient sleep?

Sleep problems don’t always show up as a child simply saying they are tired.

Kochhar said insufficient sleep duration and poor sleep quality can cause fatigue and daytime sleepiness, including nodding off at school. Children may also have trouble concentrating or maintaining attention during daily tasks.

In younger children, inadequate sleep can look quite different.

"But in younger kids, they can actually have the other extreme where they're like extremely hyperactive, they have, you know, that inattentive behavior," Kochhar said. "So, kids could get misdiagnosed with ADHD, but it's pretty much their sleep that's not optimized."

For pediatricians evaluating hyperactivity or attention concerns, sleep duration and quality are therefore important topics to discuss with families.

Why do teenagers have difficulty getting enough sleep?

Adolescents face a physiologic challenge that can make school-year sleep schedules particularly difficult. Beginning around ages 13 to 14 years, Kochhar explained, the body's circadian clock naturally shifts later.

"What happens, unfortunately, after around 13 to 14 years of age is that their sleep schedule, the inherent sleep schedule, gets a little delayed," she said.

Melatonin release may occur later than it did earlier in childhood, meaning adolescents naturally become sleepy later in the evening. Their school schedules, however, can still require early morning wake times.

"They tend to feel sleepy a little later and go back to bed a little later, go to bed a little later, which basically is a barrier because they still have those early wake hours," Kochhar said. "So, that is the number one issue."

What other factors can interfere with adolescent sleep?

Biology is only part of the challenge. Kochhar pointed to excessive homework and academic pressures as additional barriers to sufficient sleep. Social media and adolescents' desire to remain socially connected can further delay bedtime.

Caffeine and caffeine-containing products can also interfere with sleep, she added.

For pediatricians, back-to-school visits provide an opportunity to ask not only when a child goes to bed, but also when they wake, whether schedules change substantially on weekends, and whether daytime behavior could signal inadequate sleep.

Establishing a consistent schedule across the week is the starting point, Kochhar said, helping children's internal clocks align with the demands of the school day.