Health Connection Newsletter

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MONTHLY NEWSLETTER | 2021 AUGUST

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Are you ready to go back to school?

Back to school time can be stressful for both students and parents. We have a few tips that can help make the transition a little bit easier!

CREATE A BEDTIME ROUTINE

Gradually Change Your Child's Bedtime

Many children have a later bed time in the Summer, which can wreak havoc when school starts. In preparation for the early wake time of school, begin to gradually change your child's bedtime to make sure they will be getting enough sleep. Start a few weeks in advance and move their bed time earlier by 15 minutes every week. If there is a difference between their summer wake time and school wake time, have your children wake up about 15 minutes earlier per week as well.

How Much Sleep Does Your Child Need?

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*Guidelines from American Academy of Pediatrics

Block Out Light

Due to the late sunsets during back to school time, it could still be daylight when your child goes to sleep. If this is the case, try to block out the light as much as you can. Use black out curtains and turn off hallway and bathroom lights. Light is a powerful cue for the circadian rhythm, the part of the biological clock that helps regulate sleep.

Reduce Noise

If you have younger children going to sleep earlier than the rest of the house, be mindful of the noise levels. Hearing conversations, TV sound, music, etc. can be distracting for children trying to seep. Try using a white noise machine or fan to help block outside noise.

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Designate Their Bedroom for Sleeping Only

Your mind and body should recognize your bedroom as a place for rest. If possible, it's best to keep rest and relaxation areas separate from homework areas. You don't want to bring the stress and anxiety of school in the space where your child goes to recharge.

Refrain from Electronics an Hour Before Bedtime

While light of any kind can suppress the secretion of melatonin, blue light (coming from electronics) at night does so more powerfully. Harvard researchers and their colleagues conducted an experiment comparing the effects of exposure to blue light to exposure to green light of comparable brightness. The blue light suppressed melatonin for about twice as long as the green light and shifted circadian rhythms by twice as much. To help wind down at night, try doing a calming activity such as meditating or reading about an hour before bedtime.

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Don't Let Children Have Devices in Room

Knowing the effect blue light has on sleep, it's best to remove temptation and keep devices out of the bedroom. It's easy to fall into a rabbit hole on your phone and stay up past bedtime or resort to looking at a device when you can't fall asleep.

MAKE THE TRANSITION EASIER

Don't Skip Breakfast

Hunger can be distracting and take attention away from learning. Make sure your child has a balanced breakfast before they leave for school and even pack snacks if they have a late lunch.

Encourage a Set Time for Homework

Having designated "homework time" it will help your child get into a routine. Every day after school they will know there is a set time to complete homework. This will also help prevent children from falling behind on schoolwork.

Incorporate Exercise into Daily Routine

Guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services recommend that children and adolescents age 6+ get at least an hour of activity per day and children ages 3-5 be physically active throughout the day to enhance their growth and development.

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Let Children Know You Are a Resource

Going back to school can be stressful and increase anxiety for many children. Let your children know that you are there to help them when needed. By opening this line of communication, it can help ease anxiety if your children know they have a support system.

TAKE NOTE OF SCHOOL BEHAVIOR

Are teachers calling home saying your child can't sit still? Does your child have trouble concentrating at school or while doing homework? ADHD is a common symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), yet few will make the connection. Children with undiagnosed OSA are frequently misdiagnosed as having ADHD and placed on unnecessary medications.

Other Symptoms of Sleep Apnea in Children: